Blood Bag
by Traydox
Summary: Stuck on the same team as Naruko Namikaze, daughter of the Hokage, and Sasuke Uchiha, son of the Chief Of Police. How can a simple, unimportant, average academy student shine when surrounded by prodigies? Especially when the entire village hates him for being the host of the 9 Tailed Fox. OC Main Character. Fem!Naru. Eventual NarukoxOC. Alive!Minato, Alive!UchihaClan
1. Chapter 1

_Summary:_

 _12 years ago the 9 tailed fox attacked the village hidden in the leaves. The village was saved however due to the sacrifice of the former third hokage, who gave his life to seal the demon into a new born child. Today, Kane Sanguis has been officially declared a Genin ninja, and has been assigned to Team 7 under Kakashi Hatake along with Naruko Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha._

Or

 _The Differences Naruto being born as Naruko could cause. A child, only 8 days of age and originally perishing in the Kyuubi Attack, is alive and well. The fourth, originally dieing to seal the Kyuubi, is alive and well. The third, originally alive and well, died sealing the Kyuubi._

Eventual NarukoxOC. Fem!Naruto, Alive!Minato, Alive!UchihaClan

* * *

"Team 7 will consist of Namikaze Naruko, Uchiha Sasuke, and Sanguis Kane. Your instructor will be Hatake Kakashi."

Kane Sanguis wanted to scream. Why did Kami-sama hate him? What had he done in a past life to deserve such torture? He had the worst score of all the graduates, he knew. He knew he would. If he were being honest with himself, he was surprised he graduated at all.

Kane wasn't stupid. He knew in actuality he probably did above average on the exam; however the instructor Iruka Umino has had it out for him since day one. Kane didn't care; he was used to it.

Kane was a plain looking 12 year old. Short brown hair, light-blue eyes, average height, average looks, average intelligence. Nothing about him stood out.

Didn't change the fact that it felt like everyone was out to get him.

Now Kane felt he could truly add Kami down to the list of "people out to get Kane Sanguis." Why was he stuck on the same team as Naruko and Sasuke?! Sasuke was the son of the chief of the Konoha Police Corps, and heir apparent. Not to mention he was ranked second best in the class; a title he was loathe to admit as he lost out on Rookie Of The Year to Naruko. Sasuke had always been a stuck up jerk in Kane's opinion.

Naruko was another story. They were friends, once... Until she decided she wanted nothing to do with him anymore. Now she was practically a stranger to Kane.

Stuck on the same team as the daughter of the Fourth Hokage and Rookie Of The Year, as well as the heir to the Konoha Police Corps...

Kane looked over at Naruko and saw she had a displeased look on her face as well. He couldn't help but internally cringe over this. It was well known that Naruko and Sasuke were good friends due to a strong rivalry between the two, and it was clear from the beginning that she and Sasuke would be on a team together due to being the top two students. That meant her disappointment was clearly over being teamed up with himself.

Ouch.

As Iruka-Sensei continued calling out team names Kane tuned him out completely. He has always had rotten luck, but this really takes the cake.

Suddenly he noticed Naruko stand up from her seat and make her way out of the classroom, ignoring Iruka's protests as she did so. Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow in her direction before ignoring the situation entirely.

 _'Guess she really does hate me.'_

With nothing better to do, Kane sat in silence, allowing his mind to roam while waiting for this "Kakashi" person to show up.

He waited.

And waited.

And _waited._

* * *

The sound of a chair screeching startled Kane from his thoughts, and he looked up as Sasuke began making his way towards the back of the class.

Towards him.

"It's been hours and our sensei still isn't here. He might not be coming. Naruko isn't even here." Sasuke drawled as he sat on the opposite side of the desk, sitting backwards on the chair for the row in front of Kane.

He hadn't even realized they were the only two left in the room, Kane noted.

"So what do we do then? Leave?" Kane asked with visible concern on his face. He didn't want to leave only to have their sensei come to an empty classroom; first impressions could mean a lot in Kane's opinion.

Sasuke raised a single eyebrow. "No, we don't really have a choice but to sit here and wait, although I don't have a clue where that blonde bimbo went..." He shot a sidelong glance at the entrance of the room.

Kane kept silent.

"So, while we sit here bored, we might as well get to know each other. I don't know anything about you dead last, and we're going to be teammates, so we might as well get this out of the way."

Kane couldn't help the visible cringe at the term "Dead Last" and he felt a bubble of shame well within him.

"Ok... Well, my name is Kane Sanguis. I'm 12 years old, just graduated the academy, and uh... My favorite color is blue?" Kane spoke uncertainly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes slowly and deliberately. His irritation at Kane's answer was apparent. "What's your fighting technique?"

Kane blinked. "Excuse me?"

Sasuke glared. "What style of taijutsu do you use?"

Kane blinked again. "I only know the academy style."

"What jutsu do you know?"

Why did this feel like an interrogation?

"I know the bunshin, substitution and transformation." Kane answered with a slight blush coloring his cheeks. For some reason, even though that was all that was required to graduate, he felt embarassed giving this answer to Sasuke.

"Any skills? Weaponry, first aid, anything at all?" Sasuke asked with the same penetrating gaze that continued making Kane feel uncomfortable.

"Erm... No."

The frustration was easy enough to read on Sasuke's face. "Hn." was all he said in response.

Kane felt as if he had just taken a really difficult exam, and failed miserably.

Suddenly the door burst open and in strolled in a blonde with twin pigtails.

Sasuke turned around and both he and Kane stared at the third member of their team. She hesitated momentarily when she noticed the two of them sitting so close to each other, and continued her stride towards her seat.

She hadn't even bothered coming over to sit with them.

"And where have you been, idiot?" Sasuke asked as he glared at her back.

"None of your business, bastard!" She hollered back without even turning around.

Sasuke continued to glare. Kane felt uncomfortable.

Sasuke turned around, his back facing Kane, and silence stretched on throughout the nearly empty classroom.

Kami really did have it out for him.

* * *

Nearly half an hour later, the door opened. The quiet sound was like fireworks to Kane, who had grown used to the uncomfortable silence.

A silver haired jounin entered the room, his one visible eye gauging the reactions of the three would-be genin.

His eye crinkled up into what was clearly a smile. "Well, let's meet up on the roof, shall we?" And then he was gone.

Naruko was the first up, a light bounce to her step as she made her way out. Sasuke was much slower and calmer as he began to follow after them.

Kane couldn't help but release a loud sigh. He just wanted today to be over and done with.

* * *

"I'm Naruko Namikaze! My dad is the Hokage and I'm Rookie Of The Year!" She said with a smirk thrown Sasuke's direction.

Sasuke's eye twitched ever so slightly.

"My likes are training, my family, and hearing stories about my mother. My dislikes are people that would threaten those I hold precious, and girls who waste time fawning over emo duck-butt bastards. Especially when said bastard is gross to even look at!" She said with a dazzling smile.

Sasuke's eye twitched even more.

Kane couldn't help but feel solemn _. 'Is that what friendship is like between these two? We used to be friends once too, Naruko... What does Sasuke have that I don't? Why am I not good enough?'_

 _'Why am I never good enough?'_

"My hobbies include training and spending time with my precious people. My dream... To become a splendid ninja! Once I've done that and proved to my dad and my mom that I'm worthy, my dad will pass his hat onto me! You're looking at the next hokage dattebayo!" She spoke with such confidence, Kane felt inclined to believe her.

"Alright. Now you, Sasuke." Kakashi spoke, his eyes never leaving his icha icha novel.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. My likes are training, the Police Corps, and tomatoes. My dislikes are weaklings, those who don't take being a ninja seriously, law-breakers and being compared to... someone else."

Kane couldn't help but flinch when he said "weaklings".

"My dream is to become head of the Konoha Police Corps... among other things."

"Excellent job, Sasuke-kun. Now you." The silver haired jounin said with a pointed look at Kane.

"My name is Kane Sanguis. My likes are... Reading, I guess. Maybe cleaning? I don't know..."

Kane felt a blush grow on his face at the completely floored look Naruko gave him at that. Even Sasuke looked like he detested what he just said. Kakashi just eye smiled at him.

"Continue."

"My dislikes... I guess I dislike anyone that dislikes me. My dream is to become a shinobi worthy of respect, that way people will have no choice but to like me!" Kane said with passion in his voice. It was his ambition; the only thing he really cared about in the world. To make others respect him.

To make the stares and whispers stop.

Kakashi closed his book. "Alright then. I won't keep you guys long, I know you must be hungry."

Naruko smirked at this. "Nope!" she said popping the 'p' sound.

Sasuke gave her a confused glance. "Since when are you ever not hungry, idiot?"

She responded with a cheeky grin. "Where do you think I was while you waited on Kakashi? I went home and got something to eat! I knew Kakashi would take several hours to come get us!"

"You couldn't have given me a heads up?!"

She paused and looked deep in thought for a moment. "Nope!" once again popping the 'p'.

Sasuke's eye started twitching again.

"As I was saying," Kakashi began, drawing the attention back to him. "Tomorrow, we'll be doing a little 'Survival Training'..." It was hard to tell through the mask, but Kane could've sworn he was giving the three of them an evil smirk...

* * *

End Of Chapter 1

 _ **A/N:**_

This will be an informational _**A/N**_ detailing information about the story, _Blood Bag._ Most chapters will _not_ contain _**A/N**_ 's, so I would encourage you to quickly read this if you find yourself interested in reading the story. If you choose not to and find yourself confused or have comments, suggestions or questions later, I would ask that you come back to this and see if it was explained or mentioned before posting.

Reviews, Comments, Feedback and Constructive Criticism are welcome.

This is my first fanfic; let me know what I do well and what I could improve on. I have been told by many people that the writing improves dramatically sometime between the start of _Arc 2_ and the start of _Arc 3_ , so if you wish to give constructive criticism about my writing I would ask that you please hold off until you get a little bit further in the story. Regardless, Constructive Criticism is very much appreciated!

This story makes it a point to keep every person in character. A lot of thought and effort has been put into the ensuring characters are not OOC, and the decisions made by everyone is logical and in-character. Exceptions to this include people like Sasuke, due to living a completely different life. If somebody seems OOC, in particular at the beginning of the story, it is almost guaranteed to be explained later on.

Chapter length will vary. Every chapter is as long as I need it to be. From as short as 1k words to as long as 8k.

All reviews are read, however I will likely not respond to anything beyond PM's in an attempt to keep this fic as professional as possible. If you PM me I _will_ respond.

Fic will be quite long. It is currently more than 300k words. Updates will be sporadic; but _frequent._ When I first began writing this story, I was updating twice a day, but the chapters were short. Now we update nearly every day, 5-7 days a week, and chapter length from Shippuden onward is definitely nothing to sneeze at for such frequent updates. I tend to keep the story several chapters behind how much I have actually written in order to do this.

Here is an outline of the story:

 _Arc 1: The Beginning_

 _Arc 2: ?_

 _Arc 3: ?_

 _Arc 4: ?_

 _Arc 5: ?_

 _Arc 6: ?_

The story will have _6 Arcs_ , and is currently at the beginning of _Arc 5._ Feel free to come catch up with us and be apart of the daily updates!

 _ _Arc 1: The Beginning__ is 28 chapters.

Eventually the chapters will grow longer as we grow closer to (and deeper into) Shippuden. Chapters are very short for the first 28 chapters, then they grow much longer. Since the first 28 chapters are so short, it shouldn't take long to power through them.

Reviews are good motivators for me! **_Every_** review is read, even though I normally do not respond to them.

Storyline is mostly completed, with room for change on certain points.

There will be _**MAJOR**_ character development throughout the _entirety_ of this story. I'm talking beginning to end. Even if you initially dislike Kane, whether it's because of how he acts or how weak he is in the beginning, I'd recommend that you keep going as he becomes a completely different person as the story progresses and he matures and grows.

Kane will not be OP. He will not even be strong for quite some time. Eventually he will have his own abilities that are ridiculously strong; just like everyone does. ( _Flying Raijin, Mangekyou Sharingan, Sage Mode, Rinnegan,_ etc.) This is necessary in order for Kane to at the very least keep up with these types of ninja down the road, so hopefully it won't seem out of place. For those that find themselves feeling that Kane is far too weak at the beginning of the story, I assure you that it gets better without seeming ridiculous. It is my intention to make his growth feel natural and _real._

I understand that the name Kane is not Japanese and might be a turnoff for some readers. I do have reasons for choosing the name, but I have learned for future stories to only use Japanese names. Regardless, you have my apologies if you find yourself turning your nose up at the story because of his name; I will choose names more properly for future stories. Despite that, I believe the name could grow on you; it has for me, as well as many others. Hopefully the name doesn't put you off too much, and if it helps at all it's _not_ English; it's actually Celtic.

Fic will go throughout all of Shippuden, however the story will mostly follow Kane and will end up deviating tremendously from canon.

Kane is not Naruto. It takes a very strong person to go through what Naruto did and turn out as good as he is. Kane is not nearly as strong as Naruto, however Kane has his moments.

Thanks for your time and I hope you enjoy _Blood Bag_!

-Traydox


	2. Chapter 2

_12 Years Ago_

"I have to go, I'll be back soon, I promise!" The Fourth Hokage spoke to his wife, Kushina Uzumaki as he kissed her on the forehead.

Just before he could activate his _flying raijin_ , Kushina called out to him. "Wait!" he paused before running back towards her bedside. "Minato, it's a girl..." The Yondaime was shocked. They had been certain. They had been so _certain_ their child would be a boy that they had already decided on a name, 'Naruto'.

Kushina suddenly coughed blood, and the Fourth Hokage began to panic.

She was dying.

He knew, whether he would admit it or not, that his beautiful, gorgeous, wonderful, _perfect_ wife was not going to make it.

"It's ok, minato... We can just change the name slightly... We can just call her Naruko."

Minato knew, deep down, that he would have fought her tooth and nail over this. It took them forever and loads of arguing to finally decide on the name 'Naruto', and he knew this would have been no exception. 'Naruko' most certainly would _not_ be the name they settled on. But they didn't have time. They didn't have that luxury. He accepted without hesitation.

"Yes! Our little Naruko-chan!" He smiled with tears falling from his eyes.

To Minato, it was the most beautiful name he had ever heard of.

* * *

One minute. One single minute. That's how much longer Minato Namikaze stayed in that room with his dying wife than he would have, had 'Naruko' been born a boy.

One single minute.

Everything changed.

The third hokage was the one to seal the Kyuubi into the small, newly-born child. The sealing took place five minutes sooner than it should have.

Five less minutes of chaos the Kyuubi could cause; five less minutes of people dying.

Had Minato shown up a single minute sooner, the Third Hokage would not have begun preparations for the sealing.

Had the Third himself not begun the preparations, the Fourth would have done so alone, never stopping to speak with the Third.

Upon arrival, the Fourth Hokage spoke quickly with the Third.

A consensus was made.

A child was chosen to become the Kyuubi's next jailor.

The Third Hokage would do the sealing. The Fourth was still needed; for Konoha, and for Naruko.

One single minute would lead to a conversation between the two elite shinobi.

One single conversation would reshape destiny.

* * *

As Minato Namikaze rocked his daughter, he couldn't help his wandering thoughts.

He thought of Kushina, the woman he loved, and how she left the world. He thought of little Naruko, and how she would grow without a mother. He thought of the child, Kane was his name he believed, whom the entire village was made aware was the new jailor for the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

He thought of the strange, spiral shaped masked man he fought.

He would find no sleep that night, rocking little Naruko all the way til the morn.

* * *

Minato had been busy. Very, very busy. The Kyuubi caused so much death and destruction, the village still hadn't fully recovered from the damages alone; let alone from the loss of life.

He knew the village hated Kane. The village despised him and quickly Kane was becoming a scapegoat for those who mourned their lost loved ones.

The Fourth didn't want this. He wanted Kane to be hailed a hero; but he _knew_ that this would happen to the child. He _knew_. That's why he...

He felt bile in his throat. So much had happened in such a short amount of time.

Not a minute went by without thoughts of Kushina.

The anbu he sent to gather information about both the attack and the spiral-masked shinobi had come back with staggering information.

The masked man was an Uchiha; or at least held the Sharingan, but Minato already knew that. He fought him, after all.

No, the terrible news came in the form of this; the masked man used his Sharingan to _control_ the 9 tails.

He knew what this information would do; it would lead to distrust among the rest of the village and the Uchiha. This he could _not_ afford to let happen. The Uchiha were the police force; if the villagers lost trust in them, it could spell bad news.

So he hid the vital information from the rest of the world.

He was reluctant to do this; what if the same masked man went after other biju? He knew this information should be shared for the safety of others, especially other villages.

In the end, he did what a Hokage should, and instead did what was best for Konoha.

His wife was gone. His daughter was motherless. A powerful, unknown Uchiha was able to control the biju and was still out there somewhere. The village was still hurting. The child Kane was becoming a scapegoat and he wasn't even a month old. The other villages were looking to take advantage of Konoha's moment of weakness and trade and missions were suffering as a result.

He missed Kushina.

* * *

End of Chapter 2.


	3. Chapter 3

He tries. He really, really tries! He swears he tries! He keeps everything clean, he takes his shoes off when he enters the house, he uses old rags to dust with, he even takes every piece of trash out to the dump when hes finished with it!

Still, his apartment was disgusting. No matter what he did, he had bugs. Some small, some very, very large. Every day.

It was frustrating. Not because he hated it, which he did; but because this apartment was a _gift_. From the Hokage himself! It's even being paid for! He tries, really he does! He wants to show the Hokage how much he appreciates it.

The Fourth Hokage is the only person who's ever been there for Kane.

He was busy; he was the Hokage, and any free time he had was spent with his daughter Naruko. But every year, October 2nd, without fail, the Yondaime is there with a gift for him.

He appreciates it more than words can possibly describe.

As he looks on in defeat at several bugs scattering around the room, he makes his way out and towards the training ground. "I'm leaving, Jane! I'll be back tonight!" He announces to the empty apartment.

Kakashi was testing them today. He told them not to eat or they might 'throw up'. Naruko had laughed and said 'No way am I skipping breakfast ttebayo!' Sasuke had merely nodded in agreement, saying 'Breakfast is the most important meal. Shinobi need to keep their strength up.' Kane, unlike his two teammates, would be listening to his sensei. Not like he had a choice.

He couldn't afford to eat today anyway.

* * *

"Begin."

And they scattered.

Well, two of them did.

Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow at the blonde still standing before him, smiling directly at him with confidence.

"Naruko-chan, I said begin."

She snorted "I know, Kakashi. I was just waiting on the other two to go away so we can have some one on one action!"

"That's Kakashi-Sensei to you, Naruko. I am your sensei now."

She rolled her eyes "Whatever you say Kakashi."

He sighed as he put his icha icha away. "Alright then, let's see what you've learned."

Naruko smirked wildly at him in response "Ooh, putting your smut away Kakashi?! Finally taking me seriously, yeah?!" She was physically bouncing with excitement.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Naruko-chan."

Her smile turned into a glare as she held up four fingers in a cross pattern.

* * *

Where had he gone?! He couldn't find Kakashi-sensei anywhere!

"Yo."

Kane squeeled loudly as the jounin appeared in front of him.

"Well, that's an interesting way to greet your sensei."

Kane had the decency to blush before getting into the defensive fighting style taught at the academy.

Kakashi sighed loudly in response. "You're not going to be nearly as fun as the other two, I see."

Kane felt the familiar feeling of shame wash through him in response. He relaxed his posture ever so slightly, and Kakashi struck. Before Kane knew what hit him, he was on his back. When he attempted to get up, he suddenly found himself sinking.

Into the ground.

He screamed in shock as he realized he was buried up to his shoulders in the earth.

"Ah ah ah, my cute little genin. Never relax in the face of an enemy ninja."

Kane wasn't even sure what just happened.

He also wasn't sure why he suddenly felt heat on the right side of his face.

Kakashi quickly jumped backwards as a fireball flew past him. While his feet were in the air from the leap, he quickly brought up his arms to block a flying kick sent towards his face by a blonde haired ninja.

"Sasuke! Do it!" She yelled out as ninja wire started flying from behind Kakashi in an attempt to surround him.

Kakashi quickly shunshined away.

"Damn! We almost had him!" Naruko yelled in frustration. She glanced over at Kane and her eyes showed surprise as she took him in.

Kane couldn't keep the blush of embarassment and shame off his face if he tried.

"Come on, we need to get those bells" Sasuke said as he appeared from, in Kanes mind, seemingly nowhere.

Naruko hesitated for a moment as she looked at Kane, before responding "Yeah, let's do it ttebayo!"

And then they were gone.

' _They... They just left me here...'_

 _'Only two of us can pass this test... So they teamed up...'_

 _'I'm being left behind...'_

Kane felt devastated.

So much so, that he didn't even bother trying to get out of his predicament.

He just sat there.

* * *

Kane glanced up as a shadow fell over his head. Kakashi-sensei stood in front of him. Kakashi let out a long, disappointed sigh, as he grabbed Kane's shoulder and instantly freed him.

"Come on, your teammates are waiting." He said as he began walking away.

Kane followed behind, slowly and dejectedly.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm even saying this, never in a million years did I think these words would come out of my mouth today. But here it is." Kakashi said staring at the three students with sheer disappointment radiating from his eye.

"The three of you **FAIL**."

All three students winced in response.

"Sasuke! You were so focused on getting the bells from me, that you didn't even consider helping Kane when he was in desperate need of assistance! You looked at your teammate, your _comrade_ , as nothing more than baggage! That is _not_ the way of a Konoha shinobi!"

Sasuke said nothing, merely keeping his head down and glare pointed towards the earth.

"Kane, you showed zero potential at all out there today. None whatsoever. But I can accept that; you were dead last for a reason I guess."

Kane felt embarassment and something else at his words.

Anger.

He wasn't a dead last, damnit! He did just fine on the exam, it was only because Iruka graded him more harshly than anyone else!

He would not call Iruka 'Iruka-Sensei'. He was no sensei to Kane.

It wasn't _fair_.

"And the worst part is," Kakashi continued "you didn't even try to escape your situation! When you saw Naruko and Sasuke leave, you _gave up_. Konoha ninja do _not_ quit!" He glared at Kane harshly at this.

Kane couldn't help but wince.

"Kakashi, why am _I_ tied up on this post then?! You just said yourself Kane didn't even do anything!" Naruko whined from her spot tied to the post. She knew one of them would be tied up, it was tradition after all, but never did she think it would be _her_.

"You, Naruko, I am the most disappointed in." Kakashi said sternly. Naruko froze up at hearing this.

"What? Why? That doesn't make any sense, Kakashi. Naruko did the best of the three of us. You're being harder on her because you're biased." Sasuke grunted out.

"No, Sasuke, I'm not; because unlike the two of you, Naruko here came into this exam _knowing_ what the test would be. Every detail of it." He said as he kept is lone eye on Naruko's form, disappointment dripping from his voice.

"What?!" Sasuke responded with wide eyes and shock.

"Yes. Naruko here was aware of every detail of the bell test and what it would entail, she was simply told not to inform either of you on the true meaning behind the test. _That_ , is why I'm most disappointed in you, Naruko. You _knew_ what this test was all about, and yet you still failed to deliver."

Naruko kept her head down and her bangs shielding her eyes as she trembled.

' _Don'tcrydon'tcrydon'tcrydon'tcry_ ' Kane repeated like a mantra to himself. He took a shaky breath to steady his nerves. ' _She knew all we had to do to pass was work as a three man squad, and she still didn't want to cooperate with me...'_

"So what was this 'true meaning' then?" Sasuke asked gruffly.

"Teamwork." Kakashi responded as if it were the most simple thing in the world. "The test wasn't about the bells at all; but rather if you could set aside your differences and work together to complete your mission."

"The three of you failed to do that. You two abandoned Kane, and Kane you did absolutely nothing either. Naruko, you knew the whole point of the test was to work as a team, that's why I can't believe we're in this position; where I'm _failing_ you."

Kane and Sasuke flinched once again at the word, and Naruko trembled even harder.

He let out a long suffering sigh. "Alright, last chance. I'll be back in 15 minutes and we will repeat the exercise. Kane, Sasuke, eat the bentos I brought. Naruko, you get nothing. If either of you feed her even a single grain of rice, you all fail." And then he was gone in a puff of smoke.

As the two began eating, Kane looked at Naruko. She refused to look at either one of them. Kane was so hungry; he hadn't eaten all day. But the look on Naruko's face...

"H-here, Naruko." Kane said as he attempted to feed her a bite of a rice ball.

"W-what?! Stop! We're going to fail!" Naruko said in panic.

"Shutup, idiot. Eat the food he's giving. We're going to need you for this test, and you'll be even more useless than dead last over here if you're hungry." Sasuke spoke with condescension dripping from his voice.

Naruko and Kane both glared at Sasuke for his remarks, but Naruko opened her mouth to be fed.

As Kane began feeding Naruko, the two locked eyes. Kane could tell Naruko was extremely uncomfortable, but he could also see something else in her eyes. An emotion he couldn't explain. Was it guilt?

His thoughts were interrupted when Kakashi appeared.

* * *

As the newly dubbed 'Team 7' were making the trek back home, Naruko began insisting they get dinner together as a reward.

"You have to pay, Kakashi! You're our sensei now, so you _have_ to!" She said as she bounced around.

"Ma ma, alright alright. Pick a spot." Kakashi said giving the girl an eye smile.

"Let's go to that barbeque place near dad's tower!" She said with glee.

"I could go for some barbeque..." Sasuke mumbled with - was that a blush?!

"It's settled then! Let's go!" Naruko cheered.

"Ah, um, I can't go." Kane suddenly mumbled.

All four members came to an immediate halt as all attention was given to Kane.

"S-sorry, but I need to get home." Kane continued to mumble.

"Kane! You _have_ to come! You're part of Team 7 too!" Naruko said aghast.

"Sorry, but I can't." Kane insisted. "I want to, but I really need to get home."

"But WHY?!" Naruko whined.

"Hush now Naruko. If Kane can't come then he can't come, don't pressure him." Kakashi said as he ruffled her hair. She swatted his hand away as she glared up at him.

"Yeah, thanks sensei. S-sorry again, but I gotta go. I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Kane spoke quickly as he turned and ran off.

* * *

"M-miso, please." Kane nearly whispered to the shop owner named Teuchi. The man merely nodded and walked off.

He knew the man didn't like him. He could tell from the looks he gave Kane. But he let him eat, so long as he paid. He didn't kick him out.

Unless his daughter was working with him, in which case if he saw Kane he wouldn't hesitate to scream and holler and boot him away from his stand.

But he let him eat, sometimes.

It was more than he usually got.

He couldn't help but feel slightly guilty, but quickly shook it off. He didn't have enough money to eat at the beginning of the day, but now he had a little bit of spending money. A stranger was kind enough to donate to him without even knowing he did so.

He didn't like stealing, but it kept him fed. Kane had to look out for himself.

Noone else would.

* * *

End of Chapter 3.


	4. Chapter 4

_6 Years Ago_

"Hey!" Kane jumped, startled as a loud voice came from directly behind him. He turned around from his position on a swing to see a little blonde girl with twin pigtails looking down on him.

"U-um... H-hi..." 6 year old Kane said with a tremble. He wasn't used to talking to the other kids, they always ran away from him or made fun of him.

"Want me to push?" The little blonde girl asked with a dazzling smile.

"W-what?" He asked in confusion.

"Push! Do you want me to push you on the swing?" She asked, never losing her smile.

Kane didn't know what to say, so he simply nodded dumbly, which she responded with an even larger smile as she began gently pushing him.

He'd never been pushed before.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"K-Kane... Kane Sanguis." he stuttered out. He braced himself for the inevitable. Nobody ever asks him what his name is. Those that do, run away the moment they hear it, for reasons he doesn't understand.

"Hi Kane! I'm Naruko!" She said as she continued to push him. Kane remained quiet due to his shock that someone was not only talking to him, but _pushing_ him on the swing! He's seen parents do that for the other kids, and always wondered what it was like.

He also wondered what having a parent was like.

"Will you be my friend, Kane?" She asked innocently.

"Y-YES!" Kane yelled out. He's dreamt of this day for so long; the day he finally makes his first _friend_!

"Good!" She responded with a laugh that sounded almost _twinkly_ to Kane.

Kane decided he liked her laugh.

* * *

 _Present Day_

"Ahhh!" Naruko screamed out as a cat continued to claw her face. "Get _**OFF**_ of me!" She screamed in rage as she held it at arms length, the cat continuing to hiss at Naruko.

"Mission accomplished, Kakashi." Sasuke said as the Jounin appeared behind him. He eye smiled at the sight of Naruko growling at the infamous Tora. He himself remembered Obito doing the same thing when he was a Genin.

He shook himself from these thoughts lest they lead him down a darker path. "Well done, Team 7! Let's return to headquarters."

When Naruko began whispering evil plans to the cat Tora, Kane couldn't help but laugh, which drew a smile out of Naruko.

* * *

"Need some help?" Kane heard the question from behind him. He turned to find Sasuke already started on part of his portion of weed pulling. Team 7 was on another D-Rank mission.

"Oh. Thanks, Sasuke." Kane said in surprise and appreciation. Sasuke only grunted in reply. Kane turned back to his work only to see Naruko also helping him on his portion, as she, like Sasuke, finished her portion already. She gave him a large smile and without a word continued pulling weeds.

As Kane glanced back at Sasuke and back again to Naruko, he felt a warm, bubbly feeling in his chest.

* * *

As Kane began circling Sasuke, the blue haired boy simply smirked at Kane and remained standing in an upright, relaxed posture, hands inside his pockets.

Kane couldn't help the irritation he felt at how Sasuke clearly viewed him.

He charged.

Sasuke stepped to the side.

He tripped.

Naruko couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.

Kakashi eye-smiled.

Sasuke smirked down at him. "How's the dirt taste, dead last?"

Kane growled, but as he began attempting to stand up, a hand stuck itself in its face. He glanced up to see Sasuke offering his arm, smirk still in place.

Kane took it, his glare being replaced by a small smile.

* * *

"Lets get something to eat!" Naruko cheered after another day filled with D-Rank missions.

Kane couldn't help the dread that filled his chest at the prospect.

"Sure." Sasuke said simply.

Kakashi merely eye-smiled as he continued reading his novel.

Kane wasn't sure what to do. He had money; the person he stole from last night was carrying more than what was safe, likely coming back from the bar as he reeked of alcohol. Despite this, he knew he wasn't welcome in most restaurants.

"Hello? Ka-aaa-ane!" Kane blinked as a hand was waving in front of his face; Naruko's hand.

"Sorry, what?" He said dumbly.

"I said, where do you want to eat? You have to come today! I'll let you pick the place though, since I'm just amazingly nice like that." She gave a self-satisfied smirk as she fist-pumped. Sasuke rolled his eyes as Kakashi once again gave his patented eye-smile.

Kane thought for a moment.

Today was Thursday.

Ichiraku Ramen's owner's daughter didn't work on Thursdays.

"H-how about Ichiraku Ramen?" He suggested uncertainly.

Naruko's eyes seemed to literally _sparkle_ at his suggestion. "Ok! Awesome! Let's get going then! I've never been so it should be fun." She said with a pleased smile on her face.

She's never been? Then why was she so pleased?

Was it because he agreed to go this time?

The thought filled him with a strange warmth.

* * *

"This place is pretty good, Kane!" Naruko spoke while slurping down Ramen.

"Hn. It's decent." Sasuke drawled.

"Shutup bastard, you know you like it!" Naruko responded without slowing down in the slightest.

He simply glared back at her.

Wait, Kakashi finished his bowl already?! Kane never even saw him take off his mask!

As he continued to eat, the ramen shop owner brought over an extra bowl of Miso Ramen, placing it in front of Kane.

"A-ah, I didn't order this, Mister!" Kane said with concern; he couldn't afford _two_ bowls.

"It's on the house." the old man responded gruffly as he walked to the back of the shop, out of sight.

Kanes mouth dropped open in shock; this had never happened before.

 _Never_.

As he glanced at the three others he brought with him, he couldn't help the small smile that grew across his visage.

This had never happened before, either.

For once, Kane didn't feel quite so lonely.

* * *

"Madara Uchiha."

Twin sets of eyes stared at him, one pair in shock and the other in confusion.

"Who?" Naruko asked.

"Madara Uchiha. That's the name you're looking for." Kane nodded sagely.

"And how, per say, do you know that, dead last?" Sasuke asked with narrowed eyes.

"Er-erm... I read a lot..." Kane said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head and offered an awkward smile.

"Hah! Look at that, duck-butt, Kane knows more about _your_ clan than you do!" Naruko cackled out loud.

Sasuke glared at the blonde.

Kane felt slightly embarassed, however he soon realized something important. Naruko was looking at him with awe, and in Sasuke's eyes Kane could see grudging respect.

Awe and respect.

For him.

 _Kane_.

For once he didn't feel quite so useless.

* * *

End of Chapter 4.


	5. Chapter 5

_5 Years Ago_

"Just ask sensei!" The little blonde girl said.

"I-I can't, Naruko-chan..." 7 year old Kane responded, downtrodden.

"Why not?!" She responded, clearly frustrated.

"I... I-I just can't, ok? Please stop asking." Kane said, also frustrated.

"Well, you have to learn somehow! Why don't you just go to the library then? You could have the library lady teach you!" She said it as if she just said something genius.

Maybe she had.

* * *

"And stay out, you little monster!" Kane rubbed his backside as he glared up at the now closed library door with one eye.

So much for that.

He needed to focus on getting money for dinner tonight anyway.

He paused as a thought occurred to him.

If he was willing to take what he wanted from someone to get food, why couldn't the same concept apply to books?

* * *

He smiled a gleeful smile. Breaking into the library was so easy! The windows weren't even locked!

The library was big; very very big, but he eventually figured out the order to the madness. It wouldn't be long until...

Aha! There! This is what he needed!

As he began reading the book he just picked up titled, ' _Chakra: The Basics_ ', he quickly found in this spot a sanctuary.

* * *

Kane was excited. So, so excited! The hokage called him to his office! Some chunin let him know; and then proceeded to sneer at him, of course.

He hadn't seen the Hokage since his birthday, and that was a long time ago! He was excited. The Hokage was the only person in the entire village that seemed to care about him, if only a little.

Except Naruko-chan, of course.

A fond smile crept on Kane's face as he entered the Hokage's office on autopilot. He jumped, startled when he realized he was standing in front of the Hokage's desk, and said Hokage was giving him an amused grin.

"Hey there, Kane."

"Hi Mister Hokage!"

The Fourth gave Kane a fond smile. "I have something for you."

"Really?! A gift?! For me?! What is it?!" He spoke with such enthusiasm. The Fourth Hokage gave him an apartment for his sixth birthday a year and a half ago! He really loved that he had his own place. He hated the orphanage, and never looked back when they kicked him out when he was five and a half. The Fourth Hokage was one of the only two people in the village Kane cared for.

"Here, open it." He gave Kane a small wrapped box which Kane quickly tore into. Inside lay...

"Matches?" the small child asked in confusion.

"Yes, Kane. Matches... twelve hundred to be exact. For your little nightly escapades to the library." He whispered conspiratorially.

Kane blushed in embarassment of getting caught, but then smiled widely when he realized that this gift clearly meant the Hokage didn't plan to stop him.

"Thanks, Mister Hokage!" Kane said clutching the box to his chest.

The Fourth chuckled fondly.

* * *

 _Present_

Kane had improved. _Tremendously_.

It wasn't enough.

This became abundantly clear as he, once again, found himself eating dirt. Naruko was the one to show him to his meal this time around; Sasuke had done so earlier.

He had gotten better; _much_ better, but he still lacked something important.

Character.

He only used the academy style taijutsu; he had nothing to call his own. Sasuke had his Sharingan, his fire jutsu, and his clans taijutsu style. Naruko had her shadow clones, her Rasengan, and her wind style jutsu.

Kane had nothing.

He needed to change that.

* * *

He couldn't believe his luck! When he went for his usual round tonight of pick-pocketing one person in the streets, this time he accidentally did something risky.

He stole from a Chunin.

Obviously not a very good one, as the guy didn't even realize Kane stole from him. Kane couldn't believe his luck; not only did he get away with something risky, but the guy was carrying something he'd wanted to get his hands on for a long, long time.

Chakra Paper.

As he settled into his usual seat in the library, Kane let out a loud, content sigh. He wasn't worried about bothering anyone else; it was three in the morning, after all.

He wanted to get a hold of this paper for so long. Now he could find out what his affinities were! He hoped he got something cool.

As he examined the book on Chakra Paper, he nodded. It was simple enough. Pump chakra into it, and watch and see how the paper reacts.

For Fire, it will ignite and turn to ash.

For Wind, it will split in two.

For Lightning, it will wrinkle.

For Earth, it will turn to dirt and crumble away.

For Water, it will become wet.

This was it, the moment of truth.

Kane took a deep breath and pumped some chakra into the paper.

The paper immediately grew damp.

' _Water! My elemental affinity is Water!'_ Kane screamed to himself. He did a little cheer; in truth he didn't care what he got, he was just happy he had one!

Suddenly, the paper split in two.

 _'W-what? I... I have_ _ **two**_ _Elemental affinities!_ _ **YES!**_ _'_ Kane cheered.

Kane gasped out loud as the paper caught fire and burned to ash.

Silence. Kane didn't move. He could hardly breathe.

 _'T-three... I have three elemental affinities...'_ Kane thought in disbelief. One was common, two was less so, but three?! It was extremely rare.

Kane would spend the next several hours at the library, sitting there in quiet shock and thought.

* * *

End of Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6

"See you idiot, see you dead last." Sasuke said as he waved goodbye and left for the Uchiha Compound.

"Go jump off a bridge, bastard!" Naruko yelled back. Kane just shook his head at their antics. Naruko turned back to face him.

"Walk me home?" She asked with an innocent smile.

"W-what?" Kane stuttered back.

"I asked if you'd walk me home, Kane." Naruko repeated with an innocent smile and slight blush.

"My apartment is that way" Kane said as he pointed in the opposite direction Sasuke went, and a different direction than Naruko goes. This is the spot the three always split up at.

"So? It's late. A woman shouldn't be out this late by herself." She simpered.

"You're stronger than I am!" Kane accused.

A large, shit-eating grin spread across Narukos face. "Damn right I am! Now come on." Taking Kane's hand, Naruko began leading him towards the manor she and her father lived at. Kane couldn't help but blush at the hand holding.

The two were silent as they walked, not a single word spoken all the way to the Manor. As they reached the pathway, Naruko gave Kane a dazzling smile. "Thanks, Kane! I'll see you tomorrow." She waved as she left, Kane numbly waving back.

As he started the trek back to his place, he paused and changed course for the library. He figured he might as well go since he's closer now than he would be if he left from his apartment.

As he continued down the pathway, Kane realized with sudden clarity that Naruko hadn't let go of his hand until they reached her house.

* * *

Kane stood from the chair and stretched. He spent the entire night reading at the library, and it was time to leave before they opened. Training was going to be very difficult today, running off of no sleep, however he was used to it by this point.

He hadn't made any progress. He knew, based on the fact that the Chakra Paper he used got wet before it did anything else, that his strongest elemental affinity was Water. Despite that, the few scrolls he found on Water Jutsu weren't helpful at all; he had no idea how to go about learning how to use water jutsu!

Maybe he could ask Kakashi-sensei?

He hesitated. Was he really going to ask his sensei for help? He hadn't asked anyone to help him with something since he was six years old...

He told himself he'd think on it and decide later.

* * *

"You're exhausted." Kakashi said dryly as he looked as his student.

"I'm fi-" Kane was cut off mid sentence by a large yawn.

Kakashi shook his head. "You're too tired to keep training today. Head home early, I was only going to have the three of you spend the next couple of hours sparring to finish off the day anyway. They can do that without you." He said as Sasuke looked bored and Naruko looked ready to rumble with Sasuke.

"I'm so going to take the lead back today, bastard!" She said heatedly.

"In your dreams, idiot. I'm up by two, you'd have to win all three spars today."

"Exactly, ttebayo!" She spoke triumphantly.

"I think that's a good idea..." Kane said to Kakashi-sensei with another yawn. He really didn't have the energy to keep up with those two today... Not that he could keep up to begin with.

As he began heading home, he hesitated. "Kakashi-sensei?" Kane said as he turned around.

Kakashi looked up from his smut. "Hmm?"

Kane hesitated for several moments.

"It's nothing, nevermind. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

* * *

"It's just so frustrating! I don't know what to do, Jane..." Kane sighed out loud. "Maybe I should just give up... Maybe elemental jutsu just isn't for me... What do you think, Jane?" Silence was his answer.

Kane sighed again before rolling over on his mattress. "G'night, Jane." Kane said with a sad smile thrown towards the only painting in his apartment.

* * *

"What do you mean, 'I won't be exercising and training with Naruko and Sasuke today'?" Kane asked in surprise.

"Exactly what I said. I have something else in mind for you today. Come." Kakashi began walking towards the edge of the training grounds, never taking his eye off his book. Kane followed with trepidition. He could see Sasuke and Naruko going through the usual exercises on the other side of the field.

Kakashi came to a halt in front of a lone tree. Kane looked up at him in confusion.

"Climb this."

Kane was beyond confused at this point. "Sensei?" He asked as a way of inquiring for more information.

"I want you to climb this tree."

"A-alright..." Kane said slowly as he began walking towards the tree. The moment he grabbed the lowest limb, Kakashi coughed as a way of getting his attention.

"Without using your hands." Still never taking his eye off his book.

* * *

Today he would do it. He may have failed to reach the top of the tree yesterday, but today he would totally do it! He glared up at the tree, at the markings reaching barely a quarter of the length of the tree.

* * *

"Kane! It's time to go!" He heard Naruko call out to him from the bottom of the tree. He looked down to see Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei standing behind her, one looking bored and the other reading a novel.

"I'm going to stay and keep training!" Kane called back. He was so close! He would lose his footing near the top of the tree everytime. He needed to get this mastered!

Then he'd finally be better than Naruko and Sasuke at something.

"Okay! Good luck, Kane!" Naruko called back, as the three of them turned and made their way out of the training grounds.

He could do this. He _would_ do this! By the end of the night, he swore he would master the tree climbing exercise!

* * *

Kane walked to the training ground sporting a huge grin on his face. Naruko and Sasuke were already there, and both took note of his good mood.

"What are you so happy about, dead last?" Sasuke asked in interest.

"I'll bet I know! You mastered the tree climbing exercise, didn't you Kane?" Naruko asked with a huge grin spreading across her face as well.

"Yup! Sure did!" Kane answered back. He just couldn't stop smiling! He finally had something over Naruko and Sasuke!

Maybe, when it was their turn, they'd ask him for advice!

His grin grew ever wider as the three of them continued the long wait for Kakashi.

* * *

"Oh? You completed the exercise, did you? Good job, Kane! I'm proud of you." Kakashi said with his trademark eye smile.

Kane felt a swell of pride flow through him.

"So who's going next? Naruko, or Sasuke?" Kane asked, wondering which of the two would be his sparring partner for the next few days as the other one did the exercise.

"Oh no, neither of them will be doing the tree climbing exercise. Both of them mastered that a long time ago." Kakashi replied.

It was like a bucket of cold water had just been dumped on top of him.

Naruko and Sasuke both already knew how to do the exercise...

Of course they did.

Of _course_ they did.

Why had he been so stupid?! Of course they mastered that already!

As if he would ever catch up to them.

"Come on, it's back to the regular routine with your teammates now." Kakashi said as he walked off.

His good mood was completely ruined.

* * *

He didn't really understand why, but the library had a 'restricted' section that you had to have clearance for. Well, at least you were supposed to have clearance, but there wasn't an Uchiha corps police ninja standing guard to check you when the library itself was closed. Kane had frequently visited the restricted section since being a child.

' _Let's see... no... no... no... ah come on... Aha! here we go!'_ Kane thought with glee as he grabbed a book titled ' _A-Ranked Water Ninjutsu_ '. He wasn't sure how much help this would be; he couldn't even do basic water jutsu, but it was still worth a shot!

As he was about to wander off to read through the novel, he paused as he took in the title of the book next to it. ' _Huh... "A History Of Jinchuriki, 6th Edition"... What's a Jinchuriki?'_ Kane asked himself.

* * *

' _Sabaku no Gaara. Man, he sounds like an important guy... He should be around my age, too. Youngest son of the current Kazekage and Jinchuriki of the Shukaku? The guy just oozes importance. He's probably stuck up, like Sasuke...'_ Kane couldn't help but think to himself.

' _So what's the strongest demon then?'_ As he skipped ahead to the section labeled ' _Kyuubi no Kitsune_ '

 _'The Nine Tailed Fox, currently residing in a host in The Leaf Village... What?! The Kyuubi is still here?! I thought the Fourth Hokage killed it!'_

 _'Current Host Is...'_ He dropped the book onto the table in shock. He couldn't have read that right. He reread the line once.

Twice.

Thrice.

And everything clicked into place for Kane.

Why he was hated. Why the villagers despised him. Why the other children were told to stay away from him. Why he was bullied. Why he struggled to even eat on a daily basis.

He was the 9 Tails Jinchuriki.

* * *

End of Chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7

It wasn't clean enough. He needed to make sure it was spotless! He couldn't though, it was impossible! No matter how hard he scrubbed, the sink was permanently stained. It wasn't bad, the sink was clean and noone in their right mind would hesitate to use it.

It wasn't good enough for Mrs. Izuka, though.

Kane felt like he was going to cry. He didn't have time to cry, he had to clean this sink!

"KANE!" That was Mrs. Izuka.

Kane started scrubbing like his life depended on it. He scrubbed and scrubbed and SCRUBBED. Why wouldn't these three little spots go away?!

The bathroom door slammed open as a lanky woman in her thirties with midnight colored hair glared at Kane.

"Are you finished cleaning the bathroom yet? It's bed time."

"I-I c-c-can't get these st-st-stains to c-c-c-come out!" Kane stuttered. He always stuttered when he was afraid, which was everytime he talked to Mrs. Izuka.

The woman walked over and glanced into the sink, and a scowl overtook her otherwise pretty features.

"Go to bed, Kane."

He took off.

* * *

Mrs. Izuka hurt Kane. Not physically, oh no. Mrs. Izuka never once laid a hand on Kane. He got treated the same as everyone else, at least physically, with the exception of how harshly she graded his efforts on his chores. Kane always got the same amount of food as everyone else, the same chores as everyone else, the same bed, the same clothes, the same everything. For that, he was grateful.

She was cruel to him in other ways.

"What happened to my Mommy and Daddy?" Kane asked Mrs. Izuka. He didn't want to, but he had to know, and he had nobody else he could ask.

"Your parents? They died in the attack by the Kyuubi nearly five years ago, just like so many others did; at least, that's what the Jounin that left you here told me."

Kane started crying.

"Oh hush up, child. There's no reason to cry over that."

"R-really?"

"Really. Your parents, if they had lived, would have thrown you in here regardless."

"W-what? W-w-why?"

"Why?! Because they wouldn't have wanted you, that's why! You're nothing more than a little monster. Now stop bothering me and go play."

Kane rushed away, tears and sobs echoing in his wake.

* * *

Kane stared impassively at the couple standing at the doorway. Most of the other kids were crowding around them, with the exception of a few. They were adopters, here to choose a child to bring home with them.

He wondered when they would notice him.

He watched as they interacted with several different kids. They seemed like nice people. The man was clearly a ninja, but little Kane couldn't tell how important he was. He didn't yet understand how to tell a Genin from a Jounin.

Except Anbu, they were easy.

The woman seemed very nice. She was giving every kid she spoke to a gentle smile. She would make a good mother, Kane thought. At least, he thought he thought. He wasn't really sure what mothers did, but he assumed they had to be very nice.

And warm. Mothers were warm and gave warm hugs, Kane was sure of it!

He knew the moment they made their choice. A small girl, Kyla, the smallest of the litter. The mothers eyes, Kane could tell she immediately made her decision.

He watched the three interact for some time, before the woman picked Kyla up and they asked if she would like to go home with them. The little girl cried tears of happiness as she agreed.

Then the man noticed Kane.

The smile on the mans face was gone so fast it shocked Kane. It was replaced by loathing and disgust. He leaned down to whisper into the nice womans ear.

He didn't know what he said, but he could've sworn he saw his lips mouthe "demon."

The second the womans eyes locked with his own, he saw pure, unadulterated fear in the nice ladies eyes. The woman gripped Kyla to her chest ever tighter as a response.

Kane had never lasted this long going unnoticed by the families before they saw him. He enjoyed watching the interactions.

The couple turned threesome quickly left the room.

Kane wondered if, someday, someone would walk through those doors and not look at him with those eyes.

* * *

"You should be grateful! I told the Hokage I would keep you here until your fifth birthday; that was over four months ago! I let you stay longer because of good behavior, but it's time. I can't stand the sight of you any longer. Get out!"

And the door slammed in Kane's face.

He was homeless.

* * *

Begging didn't help in the slightest. No matter who he begged to, nobody would help him.

No food. No water. No shelter.

So he started stealing.

There was this stall out in the market square that sold loafs of bread. Every day, Kane would grab a piece of a loaf and tear it off when nobody was looking. He would break it apart into two pieces; one for lunch, and one for dinner.

He never took more than that though; he felt guilty enough as it was. Stealing was wrong. It was one of the few things Mrs. Izuka taught him.

Thankfully, she also taught him how to read and write.

"Hey! You little brat!" Someone screamed towards him. The stall owner he steals from.

Oops.

He got sidetracked, and now he'd been noticed.

He already had the ripped off piece of bread in his hands.

"So it was YOU who's been stealing from my stall! You little monster! Couldn't even have the decency to take the whole loaf, huh?! Ripped off a piece so I have to throw the rest away everyday. Letting me know you stole from me and got away with it! Mocking me! Well NO more!"

Kane felt terrible. He thought by stealing just a little bit, it would be okay. But he only made things worse!

Mrs. Izuka was right. There is no such thing as a small rule-breaking; if you broke a rule, even a little bit, you were a rule-breaker.

The stall owner was right. Kane never managed to steal from him again; he never even tried.

* * *

Trashcans. He may have lost his stealing spot; but he gained trashcans. The stall owner gave him the idea when he mentioned throwing the bread away every day.

So Kane became a dumpster diver.

He missed the fresh bread.

* * *

He needed pictures! Mister Hokage gave him an apartment a couple of weeks ago for his sixth birthday, and he wanted pictures to hang up! Maybe then, it wouldn't feel so empty all of the time.

He knew just the place to get some, too.

* * *

He took too much. He knew he did. He deserved them, though! He didn't have anything; why couldn't he have these pictures?!

Kane looked at the two dozen pictures laid out across the room.

There was a knock at the door.

He knew who that was.

Quickly, he took the closest picture and hid it in the closet.

"Kane? I know you're in here." Mister Hokage's voice came from the entrance, as the door opened.

Kane quickly tried to look inconspicuous and gave Mister Hokage an innocent face when he spotted him.

Mister Hokage glanced at all the pictures across the room and sighed.

"Kane, I know you were the one to rob the furniture store. You can't just rob places because you want something."

"I-I just wanted to have nice things for the apartment Mister Hokage got me..." Kane said sullenly.

"Be that as it may, you can't just steal them, Kane. You have to buy them." Mister Hokage said with a stern look.

Kane nodded sadly.

"I'll return these to the rightful owner, and tell him I took care of the situation, but no more stealing Kane! Understood?"

Kane nodded again.

He understood.

No more stealing lots of things at a time; only a little bit at a time, that way he wasn't caught.

Mister Hokage left not long after with the portraits.

He hadn't seen the one Kane hid in the closet, though.

As Kane grabbed the last remaining portrait, he looked at it carefully. It was a self-portrait of some woman Kane did not know, smiling kindly. She had the same look that many of the women that came to the orphanage to adopt had.

"I think I'll call you Jane!"

* * *

Kane raised his hand.

He was ignored.

He kept his hand raised.

For the entire period.

Finally, Iruka-sensei glared at Kane. "Yes, Kane?" He asked with frustration and annoyance.

"What's a 'Chakra'?"

"If you don't know, maybe this isn't the place for you."

Kane never asked a question again.

* * *

There she was, his only friend in the whole wide world.

Naruko Namikaze.

He found out her dad was Mister Hokage yesterday; what are the odds! His only friend was the daughter of the only person to ever show him any kind of affection!

He began approaching Naruko, who was surrounded by a group of other kids. They appeared to be kicking a ball around, and having a lot of fun too. Naruko was laughing away.

He really liked her laugh.

The entire group stopped when they noticed him. Naruko looked suddenly uncomfortable.

"Hi, Naruko-chan! Can I play with you guys?" Kane asked warily. Maybe these other kids could become his friends, too! Any friend of Narukos was a friend of Kanes.

"No, get lost, loser!" One of the kids said back with heat.

Kane recoiled in hurt.

"My mommy said to stay away from you; go away before I call my mommy!" One of the girls said.

"Yeah get lost!" Another chimed in.

Kane looked to Naruko, who still had an uncomfortable look on her face.

"Naruko-chan?" Kane asked desperately.

"Naruko-chan, stop letting him talk to you! You're the Hokage's daughter, you're too good for HIM!" One of the girls screeched.

"Yeah! Don't talk to Naruko-chan, LOSER!" The first boy to insult him chipped in.

"Naruko-chan...?" Kane nearly whispered

She finally locked eyes with him. Her face was unreadable.

"Go away, Kane."

So he ran.

* * *

He failed.

He _failed_?!

But he studied! A lot! Sure, he was teaching himself at the library, but he _studied_ , dangit!

As he read over his exam markings, he didn't understand.

Weren't most of these answers right?

Why did he get points off for 'Not enough detail' and 'Too vague'?!

He looked at the paper of the person next to him. A very high score.

 _They didn't even answer all of the questions_.

Kane decided he hated Iruka.

* * *

As Kane sat on the swing outside the academy, he watched parents pick up their kids with smiles and laughs.

Why couldn't he have that? Why was he hated and treated like dirt? Why was he struggling just to get food every day? Why was he living alone at nine years old; had been since he was six, and homeless before that?

 _Why was he always so alone?_

Kane started crying and took off running towards his apartment. Once he got there, he told all his woes to the only picture in his apartment. He cried, and sobbed, and begged towards the picture. Towards _Jane_.

Jane only responded with silence.

* * *

End of Chapter 7.


	8. Chapter 8

"Kane."

No response.

A sigh.

Suddenly, Kane's vision was filled with the face of his sensei.

"Mind telling me why you're on the floor, Kane?"

No response.

Another sigh.

"Alright, Kane. I'll leave you be. But you haven't come to training for two days. Yesterday was our day for D-Ranked missions, and you weren't there for that, either."

Had it been three days? Kane couldn't really remember.

Or bring himself to care.

"I'll leave, but I expect you to be there for training tomorrow Kane. You can't keep skipping out on this."

When was the last time he ate? He wasn't sure.

He wasn't hungry.

As Kakashi began making his way towards the exit, he hesitated upon reaching the door. "And Kane... If you need someone to talk to, I'm willing to lend an ear. I'm sure Naruko and Sasuke would, too."

No response.

A final sigh.

The sound of a door clicking open, and then closing shut.

Kane glanced over at Jane, and once again allowed the tears to flow.

* * *

As he approached the bridge Team 7 met at every morning, his teammates were shocked to see him. Or was it at his appearance?

He must've looked like a trainwreck.

Naruko approached him cautiously.

"Kane? Are you ok?" She asked gently, like someone would a frightened animal or child.

He nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head.

"Alright. I'm here if you change your mind. I'm a great listener, ttebayo." Even her catchphrase was said with less enthusiasm than usual. She walked over to her usual spot and sat down, eyes trained on him and filled with concern.

Sasuke just stared, but Kane could see the worry on his face.

Kane felt numb at the concern his teammates were showing him.

Neither one had ever bothered to come check up on him, after all.

* * *

"It's fine. It's fine!" Kane spoke out loud to Jane that night.

"I mean, after all, maybe I was chosen for a reason! The third hokage must've chosen me because I was worthy to be the host of the Kyuubi! It's an honor, really!" Kane ranted.

"Think about it, there are only ever nine Jinchuuriki at a time, TOPS! Usually at least one of the demons is out there running free! That means I'm unique!"

"And my demon is the Kyuubi no Kitsune! The Nine Tailed Fox! That's the strongest one! I'm the jailor for the strongest demon! That has to mean I'm strong! The best, even! Right, Jane?!"

Jane didn't respond.

"Yes! The third hokage must've chosen me because he could sense something in me! Maybe even something I can't sense myself!"

Kane began smiling.

"And... And maybe this is why I was placed on a team with Naruko and Sasuke! This is why I graduated the academy at all! Mister Hokage must've wanted me to be on this team! Think about it, I'm a perfect fit! The daughter of the hokage, the son of the police chief, and the jinchuriki of the strongest demon in the world! I... I actually fit in on this team!"

"I'm... I'm special... Just like them..."

And for the first time, Kane felt like he was worthy of being on Team 7.

* * *

Kane was in much higher spirits the next day, and everyone could tell. Naruko's energy skyrocketed as a result, and even Sasuke seemed pleased at the energy the entire team was radiating in response to Kane's good mood.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're feeling better, Kane!" Kakashi said with an eye smile.

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei!" Kane said back with determination and happiness.

"In the future though, try not to skip out on training and missions, Kane. You're apart of Team 7, you need to be here too."

Kane blushed slightly in embarassment "Yes, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kane's entire being filled with warmth. Yes, he was apart of Team 7!

 _He was a member of Team 7!_

"Good! Since you're all in such a good mood, how about I make your spirits raise even higher?" All attention was on Kakashi as he said this.

"Today is our Mission day, and I believe you guys are ready for your first C-Rank."

Naruko exploded. "YES YES YES! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DATTEBAYO! LET'S GO LET'S GO LET'S GO!" And off she went.

"Naruko! Stay with us!"

She screamed in _pure agony_ as she halted and began walking back to them, as if walking at a calm and leisurely pace would literally kill her. Kakashi laughed as he began walking towards her and towards the Hokage Tower.

Sasuke looked the most excited Kane had ever seen him. "Come on, Kane. Let's go!" He said with his eyes filled with determination and excitement.

"I'm ready, Sasuke!"

Sasuke nodded in approval as the two followed after Kakashi and Naruko.

And for the first time, Kane truly did feel ready.

* * *

"Your mission is to lead the caravan and Mr. Toshima here to Otaka town towards the east. Both he and his produce are to be protected. We have been informed by Mr. Toshima here that he believes a bandit group, aware of his route, are after his caravan. Protect the caravan and Mr. Toshima at all costs." The Fourth Hokage spoke in all seriousness.

"Hai, Hokage-sama. You can count on Team 7."

Naruko was disappointed all they'd be doing was an escort mission; she wanted to go on a _real_ mission!

Sasuke hoped the bandits attacked. He could use the target practice.

Kane was determined, here on this mission, to prove once and for all that he belonged on this team!

* * *

Upon meeting up at the gate leading outside to village, Kane realized his mistake.

"Kane, where are your kunais and traveling supplies?" Naruko asked in confusion. Kane didn't have anything on him. Nothing! He looked like he was just out for a stroll!

"O-oh, uh... I-I forgot them back at my apartment. I guess I was just so excited." Kane said with a blush. In reality he hadn't forgotten them; he had never thought to bring them in the first place.

He didn't even own them, after all.

Kakashi gave him a knowing look.

Their first C-Rank hadn't even begun, and Kane was already messing up! He could feel himself deflating. His enthusiasm was dropping; and fast.

"Well, run back and grab them then!" Naruko demanded.

His enthusiasm was dropping _very_ fast.

"Now now, it's alright. I had a feeling something like this might happen, so I brought extra supplies and food along with me." Kakashi said holding up a kunai pouch with an eye smile.

Kane could've hugged the man. He knew Kakashi was fully aware of his 'situation', and he brought the extra supplies for Kane!

The thought filled him with warmth. Was this really what being on a team was like? It felt like he was apart of something. Like he wasn't just 'Kane', but rather he was 'A member of the Team.'

As he accepted the supplies from Kakashi, his determination jumped higher than ever before. He would prove himself on this mission!

Kane decided he had to, he really really had to.

Because Kane decided he _really_ wanted to be apart of this team.

* * *

"I still can't believe you were the first one at the gate, Kakashi!" Naruko chirped happily as Team 7 and their escort travelled along the road.

"I would never be late for a mission, Naruko-chan" Kakashi said with an eye smile as he continued reading his novel. "Also, are you ever going to call me Kakashi-sensei?"

"Pfft, not on your life, Kakashi."

Kakashi cried anime tears of sorrow.

"At least one of my precious students calls me sensei! What would I do without you, Kane?!" Kakashi moaned.

Kane felt a flush of pleasure at the term 'precious' and a smile crept on his face.

Sasuke was ignoring the entire situation; he was focused on the sides of the road, watching for any would-be attackers. They were warned bandits knew Mr. Toshima's route, after all.

Mr. Toshima was a quiet man. Hadn't spoken much since they left the village.

Kane shook his head. He was getting distracted far too easily! He needed to be ready!

He was going to prove himself!

* * *

Kakashi yelled in pain as a sword was ripped through his chest from behind.

Sasuke was the first to react. He took off towards the nearest bandit from the group of twenty or so bandits charging them from the forest on the side of the road.

Naruko was behind him in less than a second.

Kane did as practiced; he ran in front of Mr. Toshima and pulled out a kunai for self-defense. "Please keep your head down, Mr. Toshima!"

The man looked terrified as he trembled behind the twelve year old boy.

Naruko and Sasuke were doing a good job on their own. None of the bandits even came after him or Mr. Toshima, too focused on the children steadily kicking their asses.

Until one of them decided he'd go for Kane.

Adrenaline pumped through Kane's body, giving him a high like nothing he'd ever experienced before.

As the man charged, Kane brought his kunai up. He was ready! He was going to prove himself right here! He was-

Time seemed to slow for Kane. A powerful, wrenching stench filled Kane's entire being. He froze as his eyes glanced behind the charging man and saw where the stench was coming from. Sasuke dodged a strike from a man with a katana, and the man sliced off his allies arm instead.

Kane couldn't even hear the man's screams of pain. He couldn't hear anything. All he could do was watch as the blood pumped out of the mans wound in spades. All he could do was see the blood pooled at the mans feet.

He couldn't move. Why couldn't he move?!

His entire being felt tight. Like he was a coil being twisted the wrong direction. Everything about him felt numb. He couldn't move. He told his arms to move, to prepare for the charging bandit. He told his legs to move, to get ready for a feint. He told his eyes to move, to _stoplookingatthebloodandwatchoutbecausethebanditwasalmostthereand-_

"KANE!" He heard that one. Who was that?

Naruko?

His tore his eyes away from the blood and saw it was too late. The bandits sword was already heading straight for him, and he had no time to react to it.

He was going to die.

And then, the bandit was thrown away as Kakashi, perfectly fine and not a scratch on him, intervened.

Kane managed to get a grip on reality after that. As he finally came to his senses; he realized Kakashi had been speaking to them for quite some time. Everyone, even Mr. Toshima, kept glancing at Kane as he continued his monologue about how he pretended to be hurt to give the students some real-life battle experience.

"It was good for them to get this experience, they need to be ready for a battle where I'm not there to protect them in the future, that way things don't happen like Kane freezing up."

Sasuke scowled at him at this, and even Naruko looked at him in pity and disappointment.

He had frozen up? Yeah, he guessed he had. Not because he was scared... He didn't know why he froze up.

As Kakashi finished speaking and the five of them began travelling once more, Sasuke glanced over at Kane.

"Calmed down yet, dead last? Don't worry, we'll protect you the same as Mr. Toshima. Scaredy cat."

"Shutup, bastard!" Naruko glared at him.

His first fight had been a complete disaster.

So much for proving himself.

* * *

End of Chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9

The rest of the mission was uneventful. They took Mr. Toshima to Otaka Town, spent the night at an inn and walked back to the Leaf Village. Mission successful.

Kane hadn't spoken a word since the bandit attack, not even to Naruko when she tried to get him to open up about why he froze up.

The truth was he _didn't know_. He wasn't scared, not until the bandit nearly chopped his head off at least. He just... Froze. When he saw the blood from the bandits detached appendage, he just... Lost focus. He couldn't move his body. All he could do was stare at the blood on the ground, and he didn't know _why_ it affected him so much.

It was _frustrating_.

* * *

Kane hadn't stopped thinking about it. The mission was 3 days ago; back to training and D-Ranks for Team 7 in the meantime, and Kane hadn't once stopped thinking about how he froze up.

He also knew he blew it. His one chance to prove to everyone, especially himself, that he was worthy to stand beside the giants that were Naruko and Sasuke, and he mucked it up.

And he couldn't even figure out _why_.

Kane was uncomfortable. He was always so uncomfortable while he, Naruko and Sasuke waited on Kakashi-sensei to arrive. Ever since the completion of their first C-Ranked mission nearly a week ago, Kane was uncomfortable and he didn't know why.

He felt heavy; like someone placed a backpack full of rocks across his shoulders, only the weight was distributed evenly across his entire body. The strangest thing was it wasn't because of Naruko or Sasuke, it was only while they waited on the bridge. As soon as Kakashi arrived and they made their way into the training grounds, the weight just _disappeared_.

What was going on with him?!

* * *

As the four entered the training grounds, Naruko suddenly burst into a frustrated yell. "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! NO WAITING, WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW, BASTARD!"

As the rest of Team 7 stared at Naruko in shock, Sasuke piped up "What's your issue, idiot?"

"MY ISSUE IS YOU, BASTARD!" As she charged him, Kakashi grabbed her from behind and kept her in place. "LET ME AT 'EM!" She screeched in anger.

"Naruko-chan, what, exactly, is the issue?" Kakashi asked calmly.

"Today's the day I finally surpass the bastard!"

Oh.

Now Kane understood.

Two days ago, during their daily sparrings, Naruko bested Sasuke in two of the three spars; this put their total record at a _tie_. Yesterday was mission day so no sparring had taken place.

Kakashi eye smiled "Alright, since you're so insistent, Naruko-chan, the two of you can spar right here and now."

"YES!" Naruko screamed as Sasuke smirked.

"But let's make it interesting, shall we?"

Every set of eyes snapped to Kakashi's lone one.

"If Naruko wins this will be the first lead change since Sasuke took the lead after Naruko won the first spar, correct?" Naruko and Sasuke nodded at this. "So, let's make this a fight to remember. Only one spar today. The two of you fight as if it's a fight to the death; don't worry, I'll step in when I feel it necessary. The winner of this fight gets to choose where we all go out to eat today, too. We haven't gone out as a team in quite a while, so we can kill two birds with one stone."

Naruko's eyes almost fell out her head with how wide they were. Kane was no different. A full out fight to the death?! They'd never done that! Even Sasuke looked shocked.

"The winner will be determined by submission, knockout or my intervention. If I intervene, the fight is over. No whining, no crying, just accept it. Understood?"

The two of them nodded.

Kakashi eye-smiled. "Good! Let's get going then."

* * *

The two stood twenty yards apart, glaring at each other, each one sizing the other up.

Kane audibly gulped. This was _intense_.

He'd never seen Naruko look so serious before.

Kakashi stood in the center, between the two genin, but not intruding on their line of sight between one another.

The wind was howling, blowing Naruko's twin pigtails wildly. Sasuke's gaze was the most intense look Kane had seen in his entire life; bar none. Twin double tomoe sharingan eyes stared Naruko down.

She stared right back.

Kane knew, then and there, that these were true ninja.

"Ready?" Kakashi asked, his right arm up in the air in a chopping formation.

Two nods.

Kane knew, then and there, that his teammates would be spoken about for generations to come. They would make _history_ some day.

And where would he be?

Kakashi's hand came down.

"Begin!"

And then he leapt away, as immediately Sasuke rushed Naruko. Naruko threw up her signiature cross symbol before shouting "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" and then there were ten of her.

Sasuke engaged them in taijutsu, one versus nine, and disposed of them so quickly, so fluidly, that Kane wasn't even sure he knew how Sasuke did it.

"Come on, idiot. Didn't you hear Kakashi? This fight is to the death. Quit holding back!" Sasuke chided.

Naruko responded with a smirk "If you insist."

She clapped her hands together as if in prayer, and started screaming. The amount of chakra she released was _enormous_. Kane could physically see the blue essence flowing around her body!

"MULTI-SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

And then there were a hundred of her.

Sasuke smirked. "That's more like it!"

As Kane watched Sasuke weave in and out, avoiding and dodging every punch and kick the army of Narukos threw his way, Kane couldn't help but feel small.

very, very small.

He wouldn't have even beaten the ten Naruko's; hell, he couldn't even handle just _one_.

As Sasuke defeated his forty second clone, he suddenly did several hand signs too quick for Kane to see.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" as Sasuke spat out the biggest fireball Kane has ever seen, completely massacring the remainder of Naruko's clones bar 4 of them and Naruko herself.

"Wind Style: Air Bullet!" Naruko announced as she shot several bursts of air at Sasuke.

Sasuke smirked with twisted satisfaction.

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" He announced as he shot a much smaller fireball at the air bullets.

Kane's jaw hit the floor as the air bullets caused the small fireball to turn into a _huge_ one, essentially fanning the flames. It was almost as big as the last one!

"Uh oh..." Naruko said as one of her remaining clones grabbed her and threw her across the training grounds. All four of the remaining clones were caught in the fireball, dispersing with a 'poof'.

As Naruko rolled along the ground, she tried her best to halt her momentum. As soon as she got her bearings, Sasuke was on her. She was unable to block the kick to the face he sent her, but grabbed his fist with her hand when he proceeded to throw a punch. He threw a left hook, and she grabbed that one too.

Naruko smirked up at him as she held both his arms in a deadlock.

"Checkmate, Bastard!"

"What?" Sasuke asked in confusion. Checkmate? He was winning!

Then he felt it.

Sasuke looked over his shoulder to see two clones he had never noticed before charging at him; a Rasengan in hand.

Kakashi chose that moment to intervene; kicking and dispersing the two clones before they could reach the genin in combat.

"Well, I'd say that's game." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

Sasuke whirled around to face Naruko as she let go of his hands with a joyful laugh.

"When did you-?!"

"When I did the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu! I had two of them hide in the forest nearby and wait!" She spoke with pride.

"The winner is Naruko." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

Kane had the depressing thought that he would _never_ catch up to them.

* * *

Naruko was pleased. _Very_ pleased. She had finally taken the lead from the bastard and now she got to choose where the team went out for dinner!

Kane was _not_ pleased. He had a little bit of spending money; that C-Ranked pay came in recently, and it paid surprisingly well. Despite this, he knew wherever they went he was not going to be allowed in.

They left earlier than usual; Kakashi ended training just in time for lunch today, since Naruko and Sasuke had their big spar. As the four of them walked throughout the village, Kane couldn't help but notice the looks being thrown Sasuke's way, but in particular the looks being thrown _Naruko's_ way.

They were the complete opposite of the ones he was getting.

"Look, it's Lord Hokage's daughter!"

"She'll be Hokage someday, for sure."

"I heard she won Rookie Of The Year, and got paired up with Sasuke Uchiha to boot!"

"Gross, look at the little demon following them."

"What was Lord Hokage thinking?! Putting that _monster_ on the same team as the villages princess!"

The words stung. Moreso than usual if he were being honest. He learned a long time ago how to tune the words of the villagers out, it was nearly second nature at this point.

Learning the reason for their hatred opened up old wounds, though.

Thankfully, the only person who seemed to notice the looks thrown his way was Kakashi-sensei, who ruffled his hair in response. When he glanced up at him, Kakashi-sensei gave him an eye smile and kept walking.

It made it more bearable.

Just a little.

As they arrived at a barbeque shop near the Hokage Tower, Sasuke sighed in exasperation. "Is barbeque the only thing you eat, idiot?"

"Shutup bastard! I like barbeque, so what?!" She growled back. "If you don't like it, maybe next time you _won't lose_." She smirked at him in glee.

Sasuke growled in response.

Oh. So this was the barbeque restaurant they came to the first time they ate as a team; the time he didn't come. He's been to this restaurant before.

He's been thrown out before is more accurate.

Dread filled his chest at the thought. What would he tell them if he got booted out of the restaurant?!

As the four entered the building, they made their way to the bar closest to the chef. Naruko wanted to watch them cook the food in front of her.

As the chef fawned over his two teammates, Kane noticed the glares he received as well.

He supposed he wouldn't kick him out in the presence of the Hokage's daughter, son of the Chief Of Police, and fabled White Fang.

He relaxed slightly. Maybe this wouldn't be so terrible after all.

As Naruko continued to chat away towards the three of them, occasionally poking fun at Sasuke for her victory and his loss, The food was served in front of them. Kane noticed the others, even Kakashi-sensei, got significantly more food than him. In fact he was pretty sure he was served less than what most people received.

After some time passed filled with Naruko stuffing her face and Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke eating calmly, Naruko suddenly gave Kane a curious look. "Are you not going to eat, Kane?"

He hadn't taken a single bite out of his food.

"Ah, I'm not very hungry."

"Oh." Naruko looked downtrodden, but immediately perked up right after "Well, thanks for coming even though you weren't hungry!"

Kane simply nodded as Sasuke gave him a suspicious glare.

Ah, so he had seen it too.

Kane was starving if he were being honest with himself. He only told himself he wasn't hungry because he wasn't going to give the chef the satisfaction of watching him eat it.

He had spit in his food, after all.

* * *

As Kane sat in his apartment that night eating his last cup of instant-ramen, he felt slightly woozy. He glanced outside the only window in his apartment to check the weather and saw the sky was grey and clouds were rolling in. It would rain soon.

Very soon, apparently, as the second the thought crossed his mind there was a flash of lightning and he could see the storm begin.

Kane suddenly felt very, _very_ ill.

He sprinted into the bathroom and threw up the ramen he just finished eating.

* * *

End of Chapter 9.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hmm..." Kane heard Kakashi mumble from above him, Kakashis hand on his forehead.

"You don't seem to have a fever... I'm not sure what's wrong with you, if I'm being honest here Kane." Kakashi said with trepidition.

Kane was lying down in his bed, sick as a dog. He felt _terrible_. He doesn't even know what's wrong, all he knows is he feels _heavy_. That same feeling he gets when standing on the bridge with his team hit him full force last night, only so much _worse_. He thought he was going to die. Literally.

"We should get you to the hospital, Kane."

"No!" Kane mumbled out as loudly and fiercely as he could manage in his condition. Kakashi recoiled slightly in surprise, before nodding slowly.

"Alright, no hospital. I think I can understand why you woudn't want to go there."

Kane opened a single eye to stare at Kakashi.

"Yes Kane, I'm aware of the Kyuubi." Kakashi said while still examining him for any hint about what could be wrong.

Kane closed his eye and breathed a sigh of relief. Kakashi-sensei _knew_ , but he didn't seem to hate him.

Or he was just really good at hiding it.

* * *

Kane missed three days of training, and he still didn't feel the greatest. He felt better though, and was going back to training tomorrow. Kakashi came by every night with food and got him to eat, which he was eternally grateful for. When he asked about Naruko and Sasuke, Kakashi told him they knew he was sick and he told them to leave him be and not bother him.

Kane isn't sure, but he thinks he did that knowing Kane wouldn't want them to see his living conditions. It's funny, really, how grateful that made him. He remembered being angry that neither of them came to check up on him when he was upset over finding out he was a Jinchuriki; he never even thought about how embarassing it would be for them to see his apartment.

That night Kane decided to head to the library. He still wasn't feeling the best, but he knew he wouldn't get any sleep so he might as well do something productive. Besides, he was so tired of being at home alone with just Jane to keep him company. It was boring.

Lonely.

He paused as the heavyness increased twofold, and he took several steps back.

Instant relief.

Well, it passed at least.

A couple of steps forward.

The pain worsened again.

Two steps back.

 _Relief._

What was going on with him?! Why did walking forward cause his illness to act up all of a sudden?

He decided to power his way through it.

As he kept walking, the weight got worse and worse. It felt like someone was steadily stacking bricks atop his shoulders, adding a brick with every step he took.

Just when he thought he was going to collapse, the pain _disappeared_.

He looked around; nothing unusual about where he was... It was the usual route he took to the library.

He took another step forward and heard a small ' _splash_ '. Kane looked down to see he stepped in a puddle.

He stepped out of the puddle and kept on his way.

The weight began settling over him again.

He stepped back.

Reflief.

Kane glanced at the puddle again.

' _It can't be...'_

He took a step forward. Then back. Then Forward. Then Back.

 _'This weird weight I'm feeling is coming from this puddle?!'_

He leaned down and touched the water with his fingertips.

 _Soothing pleasure tingling down his back like a waterfall_.

' _Wait... It's not the puddle... It's the water?!_ '

And suddenly it made sense. The weird weight he felt while on the bridge; there was a river under the bridge. _Water_ under the bridge.

Several nights ago, when he got sick, it had just started _raining_.

The reason it took several days for him to get better. He had to wait for the village to dry up after the storm!

Why was water making him feel this way?!

As he reluctantly pulled his fingertips out of the water - _it felt so soothing_ \- he gasped as the water _followed_ his fingers. Kane quickly jerked his hand out of the water, and the water _jerked_ upwards.

Suddenly, Kane was staring at a thin trail of water coming out from the ground and reaching his eye level.

What was going on?!

Kane focused on the water, and then he could practically _feel_ it. That same soothing sensation, like a gentle spray on a naked back during a warm summer, engulfed his entire being.

Kane stared at the water, and said one single word.

"Down."

And the water dropped, as if it only just now remembered to follow the law of gravity.

Kane's mouth also dropped.

 _'That was so cool!'_

As Kane slowly walked away from the puddle, he realized the heavy weight was gone.

The soothing sensation was _not_.

* * *

 _Nothing!_ Not a single thing! Kane could not find anything at all to explain the weird phenomenon that happened last night. Then again, the library was _big_. There were plenty of other books he could check another time.

Still, he was frustrated.

As Kakashi-sensei finally made his appearance, and the four of them entered the training grounds, Kane smiled.

He hadn't felt any weight at all while waiting on the bridge. Instead, the water seemed to _soothe_ him.

It was a welcome change.

* * *

As training was wrapping up, Kane spotted Sasuke making his way towards him. "Hey, dead last. Mind explaining what happened at the barbeque restaurant?"

Kane blinked in mild surprise.

"I'm sorry?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Unlike the idiot over there, I'm not blind. Why did the chef spit in your food?"

Oh.

 _Oh._

"Ahh, are you sure you weren't imagining it?" Kane asked as he scratched the back of his head in awkwardness.

Sasuke glared at him.

"No."

Kane didn't know what to say to that.

"You're clearly on bad terms with the chef. Why? Did you piss him off, or something?"

Kane blinked. Sasuke had just given him his out.

"Ahh, yeah. I tried stealing from him once."

Sasuke's eyebrows raised up to his hairline in surprise.

Oops. Maybe he shouldn't have said that.

"Why?" He asked with suspicion.

"Ahh, does it matter? The fact is I did it and now he hates me."

Sasuke grunted in reply.

"Why didn't you tell us? We could've gone somewhere else."

' _Because it would've been the same thing no matter where we went_ '

"Because Naruko won fair and square, and that's where she wanted to eat."

"So? If you told the idiot that the chef had it out for you she wouldn't have hesitated to choose somewhere else."

Kane narrowed his eyes at this. "That's not true. If you had asked her the same thing she would've argued with you about it."

Sasuke rolled his eyes again at this. "Yeah, because I'm not _you_."

Kane blinked rapidly in shock. "What?"

Sasuke snorted. "Don't tell me you can't see the obvious. The idiot's got a soft spot for you."

Kane wasn't sure he believed that, and it must've shown on his face.

"Believe whatever you want, I was just curious."

"Kane! Bastard! Let's head home!" The two turned as Naruko hollered at them near the entrance to the training grounds.

As Sasuke began walking off, Kane followed with a sigh of relief that the conversation was over. He dodged a bullet there, thankfully.

He glanced at Naruko, Sasuke's words swimming through his head.

* * *

It was calm at night. Noone was around to harass him. Nobody was there to belittle him or taunt him or call him a _demon_.

This was different though. This was beyond calm, this was _serene_.

As Kane stared into the softly flowing river beneath the bridge that was Team 7's official meeting spot, he felt calmer than he had in weeks. Months, even.

"Up."

Nothing happened.

Kane's eyebrows furrowed as he considered this. Slowly, he reached out and put his fingers into the river. He gasped as immediately he felt the change.

It was magnificent.

He could feel them; all the little fish swimming around. He could sense them. He didn't know how to explain it; he could just _feel_ them. It was like their very essense was pure Chakra, similar to how Naruko looked when she performed her Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu. He could tell where every living being was, and where each one was going.

He could feel the push and pull of the river, slowly and calmy gliding along the surface of the earth, brushing against the dirt and rocks and yet causing minimal disturbance.

He began to pull his fingers out of the river, and just like last time the water seemed to follow him.

Kane suddenly realized he was steadily pumping out chakra from his fingertips.

He cut off the flow of Chakra, and the water dropped back to the river.

Was this what elemental affinity was like?

Somehow he doubted this was normal.

That was ok, nothing with him ever seemed to be normal anyway.

As he continued to stare into the river, he felt something strange. It was as if he suddenly realized that the water was filled with chakra.

That didn't make any sense. Water didn't have Chakra; only living beings had Chakra, and the river was way too big for it to be chakra coming from the creatures within.

No, Kane realized. The water wasn't Chakra; it just _felt_ like Chakra.

To him.

His Chakra.

Kane slowly stood up. He put one hand out and focused. He imagined the water rising, flowing around him. He imagined he was a tree, and the water was his Chakra. He needed to place his Chakra onto the tree; not too much, and not too little. Just like with the tree climbing exercise.

And the water rose.

* * *

Kane wasn't sure if he should tell his team about his new found abilities. He wasn't stupid; he knew the only logical explanation was that he had awakened some sort of Kekkei Genkai.

The thought filled him with excitement.

He also knew how heavily the village valued Kekkei Genkai. All shinobi villages did. He wasn't sure what the protocol was, but if his Kekkei Genkai was something _new_ , which he figured it had a high chance of being due to never reading about any sort of Water Kekkei Genkai's in the Hidden Leaf Village, then he knew certain safety procedures would take place to ensure his survival.

And his passing along the ability to the next generation for the village.

Kane didn't want to deal with any of that; he just found out he was the Kyuubi's jailor, and now he had a weird Kekkei Genkai that made him violently ill sometimes. Although, to be fair, he hasn't felt the heavy weight since he first used his new found ability...

He was getting sidetracked.

"Alright, I'll see you three tomorrow for more D-Ranked missions." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

"AAAAGH! KAKASHI! When are we going to go on another C-Rank?!" Naruko yelled out in frustration.

Kakashi simply shunshined away.

"THAT LITTLE-"

As Naruko began ranting, Kane and Sasuke followed her as she made her way towards the exit, stomping her feet in a 'mature' display of a temper tantrum as she did so.

Honestly, it's not like he was going to ask any of them for help. He was used to doing things alone, and he didn't expect that to change anytime soon.

"I swear when I get my hands on-"

Besides, if his Kekkei Genkai was indeed a new one, or at least one not found in the Hidden Leaf, then Kakashi-sensei would most likely not be any help in the first place.

"-with itching powder and-"

"Shut _**UP**_ you Idiot!" Sasuke snapped at Naruko, having had enough of her whining.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU WANT TO GO?! I'LL KICK YOUR-"

This could also be a blessing in disguise. He wanted to build character, become unique, and finding out about Kyuubi gave him that. It wasn't enough to make up for the years of torture he went through; not even _close_ , but it was something. Bright side and all that.

With this new Kekkei Genkai, he had yet another thing that separated him from Naruko and Sasuke! If he played his cards right, he could learn all about it and then surprise them with all kinds of cool new jutsu!

Kane decided he'd do what he always did. He'd keep this to himself.

The only person he could really rely on was himself.

* * *

Naruko grabbed his hand and all but dragged him behind her. Kane snapped back to reality at this, realizing they'd come to the intersection the three teammates always split up at, and Sasuke was already long gone. Naruko kept mumbling to herself about "stupid D-Ranks" and "need to kick his ass again I think."

Something else he couldn't really hear. Itching powder? He wasn't sure.

Kane just continued allowing himself to be dragged along. He had to admit, it was pretty funny watching Naruko vent to the air.

Upon reaching her house, she turned and gave him a frustrated look.

"You're sick too much."

Kane blinked. "Pardon?"

"You're sick too much. You keep missing training and missions. We've only been on a team together for a little over two months, and you've missed an entire week already."

Kane flinched at that.

"Sorry..."

"It's fine. I mean it's _not_ fine, I don't want you to keep getting sick, but I'm not mad at you." She murmured.

Kane was confused at where this was going.

"Look, just... From now on you walk me home, okay?" She gave him a no-nonsense look with a single raised eyebrow.

"What?" Kane asked in surprise.

"Okay?!" She said more forcefully.

Kane just nodded dumbly.

Naruko gave him a tight smile. "Thanks."

She leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek.

"See ya tomorrow ttebayo!" And she walked away.

What just happened?!

* * *

As Kane sat in the library going through some old books on Water Ninjutsu, he played with the water resting on the table. He took a handful from the river and brought it with him; and dropped it right onto the table.

He was able to make the water move around as he pleased, and even if he ignored the water and let it soak into the hardwood, he could reform it whenever he wanted!

Well, he wasn't sure about that. There may be some sort of time limit, but as long as he didn't wait too long he could do it for sure.

He was very confused at this weird Kekkei Genkai. First off, it didn't require any hand signs whatsoever. Hell, he didn't even have to be _looking_ at the water to know where it was and bend it to his will. It did require Chakra, and consumed a bit of it steadily as he continued to manipulate the liquid, but it wasn't much. The more water he controlled at a time, the faster his chakra depleted.

Again, not much.

He wondered how much he could manipulate at a time. He wondered what his limits were in regards to chakra and chakra consumption while doing this.

Questions for later.

Another thing he didn't understand. He could physically control the water, however he still couldn't perform even the most basic of water ninjutsu; not even the D-Ranked ones!

It was strange all around.

"Ouch!" Kane whispered out loud as he cut his thumb on the book when attempting to turn the page.

"Damn, paper-cut..." As Kane went to wipe off the drop of blood on his finger, he froze.

The blood was slowly rising upwards, just like the water puddle did that first night.

* * *

End of Chapter 10


	11. Chapter 11

He was deep in thought as he made his way towards the bridge that morning. So lost in his own mind was he that he didn't even see the leg that was precariously placed in front of him. As Kane tumbled onto the ground, he looked over his shoulder to see a smirking Chunin give him a little wave as he walked in the opposite direction, drinking from a water bottle.

Kane glared at him in anger.

And then smirked with satisfaction when the water in the bottle spilt all over the smug Chunin.

* * *

As the three genin waited on their sensei, Kane closed his eyes. He was focused solely on the feel of the river below.

He hadn't even needed to touch the water in the Chunin's bottle to bend it to his will, and now he no longer needed to touch the water in the river in order to feel it.

He wasn't sure how far he could feel, but it was _far_. If he had to guess, he'd estimate maybe a hundred and eighty meters? Maybe two hundred and eighty? He wasn't sure, but it was a far in his opinion. It went both directions of the river, too; not just the direction the current was flowing.

He wasn't sure what he could do with this information, but he prayed this could be just the push he needed to become a worthy member of Team 7.

He had _hope_.

* * *

"Let's get dinner!" Naruko cheered as they wrapped up training for the day.

"Sure." Sasuke said with a shrug as Kakashi just kept reading his smut.

Kane didn't _want_ to get dinner. He _wanted_ to go home and go straight to bed, so he could wake up and go to the library. He wanted to explore his Kekkei Genkai! He was too excited to be hungry!

"Ah, I'm too tired today." Kane said with a sheepish smile.

Naruko gave him a look of horror "But _Kane_! I'm _hungry_!" She whined.

"You're always hungry, idiot." Sasuke snarked.

She glared at him before returning her attention to Kane. "Please?" She pleaded with him.

Kane _really_ wanted to go home and sleep, but it was hard to say no to Naruko when she begged.

But he _really really really_ wanted to go home and sleep, he hadn't slept last night and if he went home to sleep right now he could wake up and have time to go to the library.

"Tomorrow?"

She frowned, clearly upset with his answer before a big smile took its place.

"Tomorrow then! No skipping out; that goes for you two as well!" She turned and gave Sasuke and Kakashi pointed looks.

"Whatever." Sasuke said with an eye roll.

Kakashi simply smiled.

"Thanks, Naruko!" Kane said with gratitude that he truly felt.

She gave him a small smile back. "No problem. Ichiraku Ramen tomorrow after training!" And she began heading towards the entrance of the training ground.

Kanes eyes widened marginally. He hadn't said anything about Ichiraku's.

A fond smile took hold of him as he realized she said it because she knew _he_ would've chosen there.

* * *

Kane stared impassively at the floating drop of blood at his eye level. He was sitting in his usual spot at the library in the middle of the night, and he used one of his kunai to make a slight cut on his thumb.

Kakashi gave Kane the set of kunai after their C-Rank. Now he actually had some tools, although he still lacked other basics like ninja wire and soldier pills. Still, he was thankful to Kakashi for helping him out.

Kane wasn't sure what to make of this new 'feature' of his supposed bloodline. He could make blood float the same as water...

His only explanation was that his ability was not limited to water, but rather all liquids. This didn't really make sense though, as Kane finds it's different when he manipulates this drop of blood when compared to manipulating water from the river.

The blood doesn't give him a soothing, calm sensation; it doesn't do anything really. He can tell he's controlling it, but it doesn't feel _good_ to control it like with water.

Kane frowned as a thought occured to him.

' _I wonder what would happen if I..._ ' As Kane lowered the drop of blood back onto his still cut thumb, he attempted to mold the blood back into his body.

A _spark_ went throughout his entire being, and the only thing that crossed his mind was ' _ **COLD**_ _'_ as he quickly removed the blood.

It felt like lightning went throughout his entire being; cold, frozen lightning.

It was not pleasant in the slightest.

' _Ok, never doing that again..._ ' Kane thought to himself in dismay.

Kane paused to consider this development. Any blood he removes from his body he couldn't put _back._ That was good to know...

 _God._ Why was he taking this all so calmly?! Here he was, in the library in the middle of the night, illegally he might add, and manipulating his _own blood_ through the air as if it were completely normal.

 _Why was he such a freak?!_

 _Why couldn't he just be_ _ **normal?!**_

He took a deep breath to calm down. He would never be normal; he accepted that years ago. No sense upsetting himself about it now.

He wondered if the Kyuubi had something to do with this. Maybe it _wasn't_ a Kekkei Genkai... _Maybe_ it was the nine tailed fox!

It made sense. He finds out about the fox, and less than a month later he starts getting weird abilities?!

He also found out his affinity for Water not long ago. He wondered if that could be a factor too...

Did his knowing of something grant him some kind of ability? Or was it all coincidence?

' _Gah... My head hurts. This is too complicated._ '

Kane decided to change focus to a thought he had earlier.

' _I need to see if it's really the same as with water... I need more blood._ '

As he held his kunai over his left palm, he hesitated. He wanted to draw more blood to practice and experiment with, but he has always been a careful person when it comes to his body.

 _Schlink._

After all, he thought to himself as the blood flowed from his palm onto the table.

 _He'd always been a slow healer_.

* * *

"Kane! What happened to your hand?!" Naruko asked with wild concern as she rushed over to him and grabbed his left hand, inspecting the large slash across the center palm.

"Ah, I um... I accidentally cut myself with a kunai this morning." He spoke uncomfortably. He wasn't used to people caring about his well-being, let alone fretting like Naruko was currently doing.

"Bastard!" For a moment, Kane thought she was referring to him when she shouted. He realized he misunderstood when a second later, Sasuke handed Naruko's outstretched hand some ripped off bandages. Naruko's eyes never left his palm as she grabbed the bandages and began gently wrapping his hand.

His teammates were _treating him_.

Kane felt a flush of pleasure flow throughout his entire being, and he was pretty sure the feeling wasn't coming from the water below the bridge.

* * *

Training was uneventful, but Kane's mood was still sky high. The four of them were on their way to Ichiraku Ramen right now, and Kane knew he had enough money for a bowl. The income from the C-Rank along with the numerous D-Ranks they've done over the past few weeks since they completed the C-Rank have kept him well fed on ramen. A welcome change.

After today, it was back to stealing.

Until they did another C-Rank, at least.

Naruko was happily chatting Kakashi-sensei's ear off, who was surprisingly not reading his trademark orange books but instead listening to the short blonde with an eye smile. Kane walked in step with Sasuke, neither boy speaking to each other but the atmosphere was not uncomfortable.

As the four entered the Ramen Shop, Kane froze in fear at what he saw.

The owner of Ichiraku Ramen's daughter was wearing an apron and stirring a pot of noodles. Ayame was her name, if he remembered correctly.

 _She was working today._

Kane began to inwardly panic. He completely forgot today was Sunday and she worked Sundays!

The owner _always_ kicked him out if his daughter was there.

"Welcome! Welcome to Ichiraku-" The man's eyes snapped and locked onto Kane's own panicked ones.

"-Ramen." He said as his eyes narrowed dangerously.

As the rest of Team 7 took seats, Kane stood there frozen in fear.

"Ayame, go home." Teuchi spoke with force.

"W-what? Dad it's only eight!" She said with surprise. Her dad never told her to go home early! He always let her if she asked, but he never _told_ her to!

" _ **Now**_ , Ayame!"

So she left.

All eyes had been on the confrontation between father and daughter, so noone else on Team 7 noticed that Kane had yet to move.

He heaved a relieved sigh as he took a seat.

As the rest of his team placed their orders, Kane hesitated when the old man got to him.

One look in his eyes told Kane all he needed to know.

"I'm.. I'm actually not feeling too well all of a sudden."

Despite the grief Naruko gave him, Kane refused to place an order. He stayed with them while they ate, but doing so was nearly torture as he wanted to leave more than anything else. As soon as the others were finished and Kakashi-sensei shunshined away, Kane took off.

He didn't even walk Naruko home.

* * *

Naruko wasn't speaking to him. She was frustrated with him, and Kane couldn't say he blamed her. After refusing to go to dinner with the team two nights ago, she agreed to go last night instead and even chose Ichiraku Ramen for _him_.

He responded by not eating, not speaking, and taking off without even walking her home afterwards.

Last night was only the second night since he agreed to walk her home everynight, and he had already failed to do precisely that.

Well, he didn't really agree to, more like he was forced into it, but _still_.

It's not like he minded walking her home anyway.

* * *

"See you tomorrow, dead last." Sasuke said with a knowing smirk as he walked away, leaving Kane and Naruko behind.

' _Jerk_ ' Kane thought as he turned to face Naruko. She still hadn't spoken a word to him since last night. She had her arms crossed and a single eyebrow raised, an expectant look on her face.

Kane knew she expected an apology of some sorts, but he really didn't know how to go about giving it. His social skills weren't the best after a dozen years of neglect, so he had no idea how to go about giving any sort of heartfelt apology.

"Errrr..." he said stupidly.

Naruko huffed before snatching his hand and marching off towards her house.

The two were silent for the duration of their walk.

' _What should I say?! She's so mad... I have to say something! What do I do?!_ '

As they arrived to the Hokage Manor, Kane suddenly burst.

"I won't forget to walk you home again! I promise! It was an accident!" he stammered out so quickly that Naruko's head whipped to him and her eyebrows went to her hairline in surprise.

"You better not." Was all she said with a small, fond smile.

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

Kane turned completely red as she walked off.

He definitely wouldn't forget again. How could he?

* * *

Kane awoke to the sound of knocking on his door. No, scratch that, it sounded like _banging_.

Wait.

 _What time was it?!_

He launched off of his mattress and ran to the small window.

It was bright outside.

 _Shit._

 _He was late._

As he opened the door, he found Naruko standing outside, a pissed off look on her face.

"Kane! Just because Kakashi is always late, doesn't mean-"

She trailed off as she looked passed his shoulder into his apartment. It was clean, as always.

And still a _complete disaster_.

Naruko pushed passed him and forced her way into the apartment.

Kane felt dread settle in his chest.

"Kane..." She whispered in despair as she looked around.

"It's fine. Can we go?!" He said panicked.

Naruko whirled around to face him.

"Please?!" He asked forcefully.

Naruko just nodded as the two made their way out of the apartment.

* * *

As the pair continued along the pathway towards the meeting spot, Kane calmed down significantly. He decided he should break the ice.

"Sorry, Naruko. I overslept."

She just stared at him. "It's fine. Kakashi's always late anyway, so I came to get you."

As Kane faced forward, he could feel Naruko's eyes bearing down on him.

"Kane, I-"

"Can we not talk about it?"

Silence.

Naruko could do nothing but nod.

* * *

As the two made it to the bridge, the soothing sensation from the river did _wonders_ for Kanes nerves. He felt calmer.

"Glad you could make it, dead last. The idiot over there looked ready to upend all of Konoha to find you." Sasuke taunted.

"Shutup, Bastard!" Naruko said back heatedly, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks.

"What do you mean?" Kane asked in confusion.

"She wouldn't stop complaining. Kept saying things like 'If he thinks he can skip out on walking me home the day after promising, he thought wrong. I'll make his ass walk me home while he's sick!' among other things."

"Shut _**UP**_ Bastard!" Naruko was completely red by this point, and Kane was no better.

Sasuke smirked at the results he got.

"You wouldn't be so high-and-mighty if Itachi were here!" Naruko snapped at him.

The atmosphere dropped immediately.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and turned cold, and Naruko looked aghast at what she just said, her flush leaving her body almost instantly. Kane looked between the two worriedly.

"S-s-sorry, I didn't mean... I wasn't..." Naruko stuttered out. Kane had never seen her so flustered.

Sasuke heaved a sigh as his eyes softened.

"It's alright, Naruko. I know you didn't mean anything by it."

Kane was lost, but relaxed slightly at the change in atmosphere.

Sasuke looked at Kane. "I guess you're wondering who Itachi is."

Kane shook his head. "It's none of my business."

"Well, you didn't ask; I'm telling."

Kane just nodded. He wasn't comfortable talking about his own personal life, let alone others, but clearly Sasuke wanted to talk about this.

So he would listen.

"Itachi is my elder brother. He was a prodigy; some say moreso than I was, others disagree. When Itachi was only six years old, he performed a massive fireball jutsu on his first try." Sasuke said, lost in memory.

"Yeah, but you did it too Sasuke!" Naruko threw in.

"It took me a week to get the fireball jutsu mastered, whereas Itachi did it on the first try." Sasuke pointed out.

"Yeah, but Itachi's main chakra affinity is fire; yours is lightning! You mastered the fireball jutsu in a week when fire was your secondary nature!"

Kane was shocked; and impressed. He couldn't even do basic Water style ninjutsu yet, and Sasuke was doing his secondary style jutsu within a week of trying?

At _6_?!

"Regardless, Itachi was loved by everyone in my clan. He was supposed to be the next Uchiha Corps Chief, not me..." Sasuke's eyes hardened.

"I loved my brother... Still do. He was the most important person in my life."

"What... What happened to him?" Kane asked, fearing he might've passed on.

"Supposedly, he murdered Shisui Uchiha, his best friend, and fled the village." Sasuke said emotionlessly.

Kanes eyes widened as Naruko bowed her head in sorrow.

"I don't believe it. Not for a second. My brother loved Shisui. Shisui was his best friend. I remember getting jealous all the time of Shisui because of it. I don't believe for a moment that Itachi murdered him... Not without good reason, at least." Sasuke said with anger in his voice.

"I'm going to find Itachi, and bring him home." Sasuke said looking at Kane. There was a fire in his eyes Kane had never seen before. Anyone who could inspire such loyalty in someone like Sasuke must've been a hell of a guy.

Kane hoped he got to meet him, someday.

* * *

End of Chapter 11.


	12. Chapter 12

"Naru-chan!" a high-pitched voice screeched as Team 7 were found waiting at the bridge for their sensei.

The three members turned and saw a young boy with a scarf barrelling towards them.

"Ah, Konohamaru-kun!" Naruko smiled brightly at the child.

"I just wanted to say hey! I'm late for the academy and thought 'what's a little bit longer'?" Konohamaru gave a roguish grin.

"Konohamaru! You can't be late for the academy!" Naruko reprimanded.

Both Kane and Sasuke sweatdropped. Naruko was late _all the time_. Iruka never reprimanded her since she was top of the class and the Hokage's daughter.

"Hypocrite." Sasuke spat with no real venom.

"Shutup Bastard! Anyway, get lost Konohamaru-kun! I'm with my team right now."

"Awww. Fine. Will you play ninja with me later?" Konohamaru whined.

"Maybe. We'll see."

"YES! Thanks, Naru-chan!" Konohamaru sang as he ran off.

"I MAKE NO PROMISES!" Naruko yelled at his laughing, retreating figure.

Naruko smiled fondly as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Who was that?" Kane asked curiously.

"That was Konohamaru-kun. He's the grandson of the late Third Hokage. He's a good kid, when he's not being an annoying pain in my side that is. He used to have some arrogance problems, but I straightened him out ttebayo!" Naruko smirked, pleased with herself.

"You're the most arrogant person I've ever met." Sasuke drawled.

Naruko gasped in horror "Now who's the hypocrite?!"

"Hn." Sasuke grunted back.

Kane just smiled.

* * *

 _Smack!_

Kane went down hard.

"Alright, that's enough for today. Wrap it up." Kakashi called, his eye never leaving his book.

As Kane nursed his sore jaw, Sasuke held a hand out for him. Kane gratefully accepted his help and stood up.

"Ok, bring it in guys." Kakashi called out again.

The three looked at him in surprise. Kakashi usually just dismissed them and disappeared, other than the few times Naruko roped him into going out to eat that is.

The three approached him cautiously. Something was up.

"Tomorrow is mission day." Kakashi said, his eye still glued to his book.

The three said nothing.

"I think it's time for another C-Rank."

As Naruko began cheering and Sasuke gave a pleased smirk, Kakashi eye smiled at the expectant response his words drew out of the team.

Kane got a determined look on his face.

 _This time_ , he'd prove himself.

* * *

Kane sat in his signiature spot at the library with an open book in hand titled ' _A-Rank Water Ninjutsu_ '. Several droplets of water were floating in the air around his head.

Kane sighed as he set the book down and leaned back in his seat. The six or so water droplets moved and positioned themselves within his field of vision. They began circling each other slowly, as if in an intricate dance with each other, and Kane watched impassively.

"What good is being able to control water if I can't even use any jutsu?" Kane asked out aloud.

Kane shut his eyes in frustration and he quickly repositioned himself to a proper seating position in front of the table. The water droplets ceased their delicate dance and separated towards the airspace beside both of his shoulders, three droplets on each side.

Kane glared at the book resting on the table.

' _How am I supposed to prove myself on this mission? I haven't changed at all! I haven't learned a single thing! Sure, my hand-to-hand combat has improved and I'm in much better shape now than I was when I graduated the academy, but I'm still weak! The only things I've learned are how to climb trees and make water float... And blood too, apparently.'_

He stood up and grabbed the book, heading towards the restricted section to return it to its rightful place.

Kane paused momentarily as he went to place it back, glancing at the title of the book located in the spot next to where the novel in his hand was supposed to go.

 _'A History Of Jinchuriki, 6th Edition'_

Kane shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts he knew were coming as he placed the book in his hands back where it belonged, blocking the title of the other book from sight.

' _Nothing in here is going to help me. Almost everything in here is still too advanced for me. I guess that's why it's the restricted section..._ '

After leaving the restricted section, Kane walked down an isle towards a specific book he knew the location of.

' _Water Style Ninjutsu: The Basics'_ Kane read to himself as he grabbed the familiar book. He had been through the entire thing several times already, but it still didn't help him.

He didn't know _why_ he couldn't do what the book said, he just _couldn't._

As he reread the opening chapters first few lines for what felt like the hundredth time, Kane felt misery coil tightly in his torso.

He stopped reading mid-sentence and got back up to put the book away.

He was gaining nothing by being here tonight. He might as well head home and try to get a few extra hours of sleep so he'd have more energy for the mission tomorrow. At least he'd be doing _something_ productive that way.

* * *

"Team 7, your mission will be to go to Tanzaku Gai in the southwest. Some bandits have recently been sighted in the area and have started causing trouble for the townsfolk. Find them and eliminate them." The Fourth Hokage spoke with his hands crossed in front of his face.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Kakashi replied while standing at attention.

As the four of them made their way out of the tower, Kakashi halted them. "Meet at the southern gate in two hours." and he shunshined away.

* * *

This time, Kane came prepared with his kunai pouch strapped to his waist. He noticed he was the first one to arrive.

' _My second C-Ranked mission... And this time we know for sure that there will be fighting. Our mission is to find and eliminate bandits, afterall.'_

He was slightly surprised they would be willing to send a group of Genin, Jounin included or not, to take out bandits. A real fight was guaranteed, and he wasn't sure it was wise to make Genin apart of that.

It made sense, though. Genin could receive C-Ranked missions because a C-Rank was classified as having a potential for yielding violence, but the chances of running into enemy _ninja_ were supposed to be super low. This mission may have been a direct order to engage in combat, but the enemies were just bandits, not ninja.

"Dead last." Sasuke greeted as he strolled up, breaking Kane from his thoughts.

"Sasuke." Kane gave him a nod in return.

"Going to freeze up this time, too?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

Kane grit his teeth at the reminder, but relaxed as he reminded himself that Sasuke didn't mean anything by it. Not really. He was just messing with him.

"I didn't plan on it, no." Kane spoke calmly.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted in reply, smirk still in place.

"Hey guys!" Naruko said dropping down from the roof of a building nearby, startling Kane and causing him to jump. Naruko gave him a sheepish, slightly guilty smile in response as Sasuke just crossed his arms.

"Idiot, this time we're doing things a little differently." Sasuke said as he glared at Naruko.

"Whatcha mean, bastard?"

"This time, when we fight the bandits, no using shadow clones."

"What? Why not?" Naruko asked with a bewildered look.

"It's not fun when you hog all the action. No shadow clones; you have to share this time."

Naruko grinned in response "What's the matter, bastard? Can't keep up?"

Sasuke glared harder. "No shadow clones."

"Fine, fine" Naruko yielded as she waved him off.

Sasuke smirked "Besides, if you don't use Shadow Clones, then this time Kane can get in on the fun."

Naruko stiffened and looked at Kane worriedly as Sasuke pinned his smirk onto the boy.

Kane narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, you guys have to share this time!"

As the two of them grinned at him, Kane knew he said the right thing.

* * *

The walk to Tanzaku Gai was boring Kane half to death. Naruko was discussing some new form of taijutsu with Sasuke and how she was going to, quote, 'kick his ass' with it while Kakashi, as always, was reading.

Kane would admit, he was a little worried. He still had no idea what caused him to freeze up last time, and he was afraid it could happen again.

He knew he'd never live it down with his teammates if he froze up _twice_.

He wondered if maybe, once they approached the bandits, he should just _charge_. Surely he couldn't freeze up if he was in the middle of the action.

Right?

... Maybe that wasn't the best plan.

Kane's attention snapped forward as he felt something approaching them slowly from the same direction they were headed. After a moment of confusion, Kane relaxed as he realized the feeling was familiar.

Calming.

Soothing.

Relaxing.

As the four eventually reached, and passed, a large puddle of water on the side of the road, Kane watched it carefully. He started to hang back just slightly, letting the others get just a little ahead of him so he could go unnoticed.

Without moving a single muscle, or even stopping his slow stride, he made a thin tendril of water rise up from the edge of the puddle nearest to him. The tendril quickly moved towards him, and gently caressed his cheek.

The tendril retreated, falling back into the water without a sound. No splash, no drip, nothing. As if nothing happened at all.

"Kane! Keep up!" Naruko shouted back at him.

"Coming!" He shouted right back. With one last glance at the puddle, Kane picked up the pace to catch up to his team.

And as he slowly felt the puddle of water get further and further away, Kane smiled.

* * *

Tanzaku Gai was pretty big, definitely bigger than Otaka Town, that was for sure. He supposed that it made sense. Tanzaku Gai was one of the three largest towns in all of the Land of Fire.

As the four made their way through the town, Kane tensed up as he realized something.

Nobody was looking at him.

 _Nobody_.

Kane's mouth dropped open in surprise. Nobody knew who he was! The glares he was used to receiving weren't coming!

He was anonymous.

He wondered if the same thing happened in Otaka Town... He had been so upset and lost in thought, pondering over why he froze up when the bandits attacked, that he wasn't sure. He never noticed one way or the other.

A young woman in her twenties accidentally bumped shoulders with Kane. She made a small gasp as she turned to Kane.

"Oh, excuse me!" She gave him a polite smile and went on her way.

Kane smiled. He _liked_ being anonymous.

Naruko, on the other hand, was not so lucky. She didn't get less looks and remarks; if anything she got _more_. The people clearly knew who she was, and since they weren't residents in Konoha seeing the daughter of the Fourth Hokage wasn't a common thing for them.

He felt slightly bad for her when he saw the uncomfortable look on her face.

And then he felt _irrational_ _**anger**_ that she would dare feel that way over praise rather than scorn.

 _Woah._

Where had _that_ come from?!

Kane suddenly felt guilty. He shouldn't treat her that way, she deserved better. He would try (and fail miserably) to apologize to her if it weren't for the fact that he'd have to explain to her _why_ he was apologizing.

As the four entered the building where they would meet up with the client, Kane decided he would make it up to Naruko somehow, even if she didn't know why he was doing it.

After all, it's not like it was Naruko's fault the village hated him.

* * *

The four spotted the light from the campfire under the cover of darkness that night. This was the place; the location of the bandits.

He was in position. Each of them was told of the plan before arriving. They knew the geography of the area, the client had given them a few maps of the surrounding acres.

Now Kane just had to remain silent, unseen, and wait for the signal.

As soon as the signal was given, Kane was told to light an exploding tag, courtesy of Kakashi-sensei, at the base of the hill in order to block their only escape route.

The sound of a crow's _caw_ filled his eardrums.

That was the signal.

Kane immediately lit the exploding tag wrapped around a kunai, and launched where he was told to. As soon as he did he took off running towards the top of the hill where his teammates would engage the bandits.

Kane pulled out two kunai as he ran and adrenaline pumped throughout his entire being.

 _This was it!_ This was his moment! He would prove himself to Kakashi-sensei right here! He would prove himself to Sasuke right here! He would prove himself to _Naruko, right here!_

 _He would prove himself, to himself, right here._

As soon as he reached the top, a bandit holding a giant axe locked eyes with Kane. The bandits eyes were wild with shock and fear as he stared into Kane's own determination filled ones.

Kane got into his taijutsu stance, prepared to launch the two kunai the moment the bandit made a move!

And that was when Kane realized the bandits eyes, while locked with his own, weren't looking at him.

They were _lifeless._

The bandit collapsed face-forward towards the ground as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Kane could only stare in shock, still in his defensive stance, as he stared passed the body of the bandit into the camp.

 _All_ of the bandits were dead.

And Naruko and Sasuke were _arguing_.

"We agreed NO shadow clones, idiot!" Sasuke shouted at the blonde

"I only made ONE CLONE! I did it for the Rasengan, that was it!" She screamed right back at him, the two genin's faces nearly touching as they yelled at one another.

"But you don't even NEED the clone to make the Rasengan, so you LOST!"

"NO I DIDN'T! I won fair and square, BASTARD! You took out seven of the bandits, I took out nine! I win!"

"You CHEATED! We agreed NO clones! If you hadn't made that clone, it would've taken you much longer to form that Rasengan! I know you haven't mastered it yet, Idiot, and while you were making it _I_ would have finished them off!"

"YOU are just mad because even when there was an even number of bandits, you couldn't even pull off a TIE!"

Kane felt numb. Naruko and Sasuke completely took out the bandits in the short time it took him to run up the hill. It wasn't that big of a hill, it couldn't have taken him more than twenty five seconds to reach the position he was standing in right now!

But twenty five seconds was a long time when you were dealing with Shinobi.

As Kane watched the two continue to argue with an emotionless stare, Kakashi-sensei appeared behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

Kane slowly looked up into the one eye of his sensei to see him eye-smiling down at him.

"I can tell you're upset, Kane. The two of them had a little... dispute before reaching their locations over which one would take out more bandits. They said that if all three of you each took out five, there would be one bandit extra... And whoever took out the last one was the winner."

Kane said nothing as he slowly turned his eyes back towards the still arguing genin across the camp.

"I guess they got carried away." Kakashi said with a shake of his head.

No kidding.

* * *

End of Chapter 12.

 **A/N:**

My profile has been updated. Feel free to check it out if you'd like to learn more about me. It's a lot of information, nearly 7k words of my drivel, however I felt as if I was being far too distant with you guys and should tell you about myself.

I have a question for you guys. Should I continue naming each chapter simply by number, or should I also give each chapter a specific title? If I should give each chapter a title I would of course go back and update each already uploaded chapter a title. Let me know your thoughts!

I received a PM from a reviewer informing me that throughout the entirety of Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and a little bit in Chapter 6 I was referring to _Kane_ as _Zane_. This has been fixed. Apologies for any immersion breaking you might've suffered through!

If you ever notice a problem, just like they did, please PM me and let me know!

See you next chapter!

-Traydox


	13. Chapter 13

The atmosphere between the the three genin was tense. Kane had only spoken the bare minimum to either Naruko or Sasuke since last night, and now the three and their sensei were on the way back to Konoha.

Naruko and Sasuke knew Kane was upset. Naruko had tried to get Kane to speak several times and he only responded with curt answers. Sasuke opted to just stay silent as he walked.

As they began passing the very same, albeit slightly smaller puddle that they crossed the previous day, Kane completely ignored the soothing feeling of the water. He wasn't in the mood to be coddled, especially by _water_.

He had a chance. He was ready! He was going to take out the bandit and then help Naruko and Sasuke finish off the others, proving once and for all that he _could_ become a staple in Team 7.

Instead, he watched Naruko and Sasuke do all of the work.

 _Again_.

' _Why am I always being left behind?!'_

* * *

Late that night as they arrived back at Konoha, Naruko asked in a small voice if Kane was going to walk her home. He had simply nodded and headed for the manor she lived in.

The walk had been completely silent, and as soon as they arrived at her home he turned and walked away without a word.

Now, he was sitting on his mattress staring at the only possession he owned that had any semblance of meaning or value to him.

As Kane stared at Jane, he let the tears slowly fall down his face. "What am I supposed to do, Jane? How am I ever going to catch up with those two? They're just... They're just in a completely different league than me. Even if-" Kane hiccuped, interrupting his cries.

"Even if I were to somehow magically become as strong as they are now, they're _prodigies_. They aren't going to stay the same... It wouldn't be long at all before they just left me behind again..."

Kane clenched his eyes closed as tightly as he could, trying to stop the flow of tears.

"What do I do, Jane?"

Kane tried to calm down as his body began to tremble slightly.

"I just..." He breathed out in a shaky voice.

"I just want to become a part of Team 7..."

* * *

Kane looked over when he felt eyes on him. Sasuke was giving him a harsh glare.

Kane glared right back.

"Alright, I've had enough of your temper tantrum, _Dead Last_!" Sasuke snarled at him in anger.

"Sasuke! What's your problem?!" Naruko spoke up in shock and fear. Sasuke was seriously angry.

"My problem is _him_. I get that you're mad at Naruko and me for hogging all the action on the mission, but _get the hell over it!_ " Sasuke seethed.

"Sasuke!" Naruko attempted to put authority behind her yell.

"No, he needs to grow up. He gave us the cold shoulder all day yesterday and today he ignored us all throughout training!" Sasuke snapped at Naruko.

Kane glared at Sasuke in anger. He was _not_ in the mood for this!

Sasuke's eyes went wild. "What's with that look? Huh?!" He marched over to Kane and got right into his face, their noses nearly touching.

"You look angry. What are you going to do about it?" He whispered quietly with force.

Kane's eyes flashed in momentary fear as he took several steps back.

Sasuke snarled in response. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You know what I think, Kane?" As he slowly approached Kane, Kane taking a small step backwards for every large step forward Sasuke took.

Naruko looked completely lost on what to do, as if she was watching a tragedy that she couldn't stop right before her very eyes.

"I think, instead of ignoring us, you should be _thanking_ us! We all know that if Naruko and I hadn't taken out the bandits, you would've just frozen up and gotten yourself killed!"

Kane recoiled as Naruko gasped, hurt and anger flashing in his eyes.

"So maybe next time, you just do what you're supposed to do; sit back and let the big kids handle all the work. Sound good, _**DEAD LAST?!"**_ Sasuke nearly screamed at Kane as he got back in his face, the words punctuated by a shove that sent Kane tumbling to the ground.

" _ **SASUKE**_!" Naruko screamed as she jumped inbetween the two boys. Sasuke snarled over Naruko's shoulder, and she turned her head slightly to catch a glimpse of Kanes retreating back as he ran away.

* * *

Kane was so angry. So very _very angry_. Sasuke pushed all of his buttons today, or yesterday technically. Kane was in the library sitting in his spot, no book to be seen on or around him. He had his arms crossed and was seething to himself as he manipulated a large amount of water in the air just above his head.

When he went to the river, instead of taking a palm-full of water, he simply raised nearly two galons of water and stomped off towards the library. Were he in his right state of mind, he would never have done something so risky. The last thing he wants is for someone to see his abilities and cause the whole village to find out.

But he wasn't thinking straight. He didn't _care_ who saw him. He was so _angry_.

At Sasuke. At Naruko. At himself.

At this _stupid_ village!

 _ **Pop!**_

Kane jumped and nearly lost control of the water above his head as the noise startled him. What was that...?

He gently lowered the water down to eye level so he could get a better view.

... Nothing out of the ordinary, but he was sure the pop came from the water.

His eyes narrowed at the liquid, before his face relaxed as he heaved a huge sigh of exhaustion into the empty building.

 _Great._ Just _great_. What else could Kami throw his way to make things worse for him?

As Kane sat there deep in thought, he glanced up at the water that was once again above his head.

' _... I wonder if I could...'_

Kane reached into his kunai pouch and whipped out a kunai. He sliced a fairly shallow cut along his arm, cringing as he did so, and slowly forced the blood out of his body with his ability. After getting a small amount, he stopped and tried to stop the blood from dripping out of the cut.

And the blood stopped.

Kane blinked in surprise. ' _Well, that was... surprisingly easy.'_

Not only that, but his theory had been correct. Kane smiled as the blood he pulled slowly drifted upwards, stopping close to - but not quite touching - the water that he was also controlling.

' _I can control both at the same time... That's pretty sweet!'_

He noticed that his chakra was barely even draining. In fact, he was sure he could keep this going for days if it weren't for sleep.

' _So, at the very least, I know that I can control a very large amount of liquid at a time, or a very small amount of liquid for a long period of time...'_

He stared up curiously at the two floating liquids, and watched as the blood and water came together and mixed.

His eyes widened as he could still _feel_ the difference between the two. The separation. He could tell what parts were blood, and what parts were water!

And then suddenly he couldn't.

His eyebrows rose in shock as he brought the blood-water down to eye level once more.

He couldn't tell one liquid from the other anymore.

 _'Dilution... I can still feel the difference between two different liquids when they first combine, but I guess after so much time it becomes too diluted to tell the difference...'_

Kane leaned back in his chair as the slightly-infected water once again rose higher up.

 _'Yeah... So what? Congrats, Kane, you figured out yet another useless fact on your practically useless bloodline... Ability... Jutsu... Whatever!'_

It still didn't help make him any stronger.

Kane looked at the liquid in dismay. ' _And I still can't even perform D-Rank Water Ninjutsu...'_

* * *

As Kane approached the bridge, Naruko was already there waiting.

So was _Sasuke_.

Naruko tensed up when she spotted him, and Sasuke gave a small sneer at the ground.

Kane leaned against his usual spot before sliding down with a _plump_ as he crossed his arms and stared at the ground. The water below the bridge was doing wonders to keep his nerves relaxed, but he was still on high alert.

Naruko looked like she wanted to say something as she stared at Kane. She glanced at Sasuke, and then back to Kane, before biting her lip and deciding to keep quiet.

It was the most awkward Team 7 waiting period since they were first declared a team at the academy.

* * *

"Kakashi, when are you going to teach us some jutsu?" Surprisingly it was Sasuke who asked this question of the white haired cyclops.

Kakashi stared at Sasuke with an unreadable expression. "You want to learn some jutsus, huh?"

Sasuke nodded. "You haven't taught me _nor_ Naruko a single jutsu yet, and we've been a team for quite some time. You've only taught _dead last_ over there-" Sasuke spat the insulting nickname out like it was venom "-and the only thing you've taught him is the tree climbing exercise. So, same question as before... _When_ are you going to begin teaching us jutsu?"

Kakashi hummed to himself as he looked towards the sky as if the answer was written on the clouds.

"Never." He spoke with finality in his voice.

"W-what?!" Sasuke was shocked. Naruko's eyes were wide as well, but she didn't comment. While normally she would be up in arms at such an answer, Naruko still felt uncomfortable because of Kane and Sasuke being on bad terms.

"Like I said, never."

"Explain!" Sasuke spoke harshly

"Tell me, Sasuke, why should I teach students more challenging lessons when they have yet to even master lesson one?" Kakashi said as he continued to give an unreadable expression.

"What the hell are you on about?" Sasuke snapped back.

"The three of you are _brats_." Kakashi suddenly snapped without changing facial expressions even slightly.

All three genin looked at the man in shock.

"The whole point of being a team is just that; you guys are a _team._ And yet, the three of you don't act like it." Kakashi glared, finally putting an emotion to his mood.

"Naruko! Sasuke!" Naruko jumped as Sasuke looked pissed. "The two of you are so focused on each other and your little rivalry, that you completely forget about Kane! Even on the C-Ranked mission we just took, the two of you took down all of the bandits with no regard whatsoever for Kane or what would be best for him. Kane still has _no_ battle experience! _Zero!_ And it's because of the two of you!"

Naruko flinched harshly at the reminder as Sasuke looked properly chastised.

"Kane!" Kakashi barked causing Kane to visibly jump. "Don't think you're without fault, either. You have been apart of Team 7 for three months, Kane, and yet you haven't opened up in the slightest to either of your teammates. About _anything_ " Kakashi stated with a hard look in his eye. Kane grimaced but said nothing, ignoring the confused and curious looks his teammates sent him.

"Why should I teach jutsus to a bunch of brats that, after three months, have yet to become a proper team?" Kakashi asked with his voice once again devoid of emotion.

The three genin looked solemn, each lost in their own thoughts. Kakashi was determined to stand there and wait it out.

Several minutes passed in complete silence.

"Look, I'm sorry." Sasuke's voice broke the thick silence, eyes locked onto Kanes.

Kanes eyes widened in surprise and the unexpected apology.

"When we took the bell test, Kakashi reprimanded me for looking at you as nothing more than baggage. I tried to change and move passed my arrogance, but clearly I haven't done a good enough job. You have my word that from this point forward, I'll be a better comrade."

Kane was speechless.

"I'm sorry too, Kane." Naruko chimed in, sorrow filling her voice. Kane turned his attention to her, confused. What was Naruko apologizing for?

"You and I... We have a lot of history, Kane. Things happened and I've just tried to ignore it and hope it went away... I know now's not the time or place, but just know that I'm sorry. I've always regretted my actions and I wish I could take it all back." Naruko spoke as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Kane felt a lump in his throat as he looked at the two.

"I... I... I'm s-s-s-sorry, too." Kane stuttered out, not used to apologizing to anyone for anything. He could say sorry, but he never really meant it. He almost always said it as a way to diffuse a situation, nothing more.

This apology was different.

"I don't talk to either of you about anything. Anytime I have a problem, I just... bottle it up and don't say anything... I'm not... I'm not used to this. Being a part of something. Being on a team... It's new to me. I don't really..." Kane took a deep breath.

"I don't really know what to do." Kane admitted with a shaky breath.

The tears in Naruko's eyes spilled over.

' _And here come the waterworks...'_ Kakashi thought to himself.

Naruko launched herself at Kane and hugged him tightly. Kane hesitated, but eventually built up enough courage to hug her back. Naruko suddenly launched away from him while still holding on with one arm, and wrenched Sasuke into the hug too.

Kakashi eye-smiled at what he was witnessing.

"From now on, we'll be a real team!" Naruko wailed as tears kept pouring out.

Kane couldn't take it anymore. He began crying too, struggling to hold in his sobs and occasionally one was let free.

Sasuke just sighed. "You two are idiots." But Sasuke tightened himself even deeper into the hug.

After several more moments of this, the three slowly broke apart, both Kane and Naruko rubbing their eyes.

"Well, that was touching!" Kakashi said with an eye smile.

Naruko let out a strangled, but joyful laugh as she smiled.

"I'm glad to see we got this settled! So, are the three of you ready to become Team 7?" Kakashi asked with amusement and happiness in his lone eye.

"You're damn right, ttebayo!" Naruko cheered as she fist-pumped to the sky.

Sasuke nodded as he said "We're ready."

Kakashi turned his eye towards Kane.

"Kane?"

Kane rubbed his eyes one last time.

And then he nodded.

"Good! Well then, I know just what to do next." Kakashi said with an eye-smile.

All three ninja looked towards him for guidance.

"I've recommended Team 7 for the Chunin Exams."

* * *

End of Chapter 13.


	14. Chapter 14

"A lot happened today, huh Kane?" Naruko asked quietly as the two made their way to her home.

"Yeah... It's been an exhausting day." Kane agreed wholeheartedly.

"Mmm hmm."

The two fell into a comfortable silence.

"Think we'll do good on the Chunin Exams?" Kane asked, curious to hear her thoughts.

"Of course we will! We're going to kick that exams ass, dattebayo!" Naruko said with a little fist pump.

Kane smiled at the answer.

As the pair approached Naruko's home, she turned and gave him a strained smile.

"Kane?"

He blinked. "Yeah?"

"After we're done with the Chunin Exams... Let's talk, okay?" She nearly whispered.

Kane stared at her for several long, drawn out moments.

"Okay."

She gave him a genuine smile as she leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

As Kane made his way towards home, one hand on the cheek where she kissed him, Kane's thoughts were filled with the exhausting events of the day.

* * *

Kane's attention was solely locked onto his two teammates walking towards him.

Sasuke and Kane locked eyes, and gave each other nods.

Naruko and Kane locked eyes, and gave each other nods.

No words were needed.

"Let's Go." Sasuke commanded as he took the lead, Naruko and Kane flanking each side.

* * *

The trio halted as they came in contact with another team, presumably also making their way to the location of the first exam.

Naruko and Sasuke began sizing up their opponents, trying to judge through looks alone the strength of the competition.

Kane, on the other hand, was doing no such thing. His eyes were locked firmly on the person in the center, who was staring straight back.

Kane felt a shiver roll up his spine.

"Who are you?" The female of the other group spoke the question as a command.

"It's proper manners to give your own name before asking for someone elses" Naruko snipped back at her as Sasuke smirked.

The boy on the left came to her defense, clearly not liking the tone Naruko used.

"Oh yeah? Let's see you talk about proper manners while I'm-"

"Shutup, Kankuro."

All eyes snapped to the redhead, and a chill was felt by everyone.

"I am Sabaku no Gaara." Gaara spoke, his eyes still staring directly at Kane.

Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.

"Tell me your name." Gaara spoke again, eyes never even blinking.

"K-Kane. Kane Sanguis." Kane said with a lot less confidence than he wanted to.

"Kane Sanguis... I will remember that name." He spoke lowly, like a cat ready to pounce.

For the first time, Gaara's eyes left Kanes own. His eyes flashed over to Naruko.

"And yours as well, Naruko Namikaze."

Naruko gave him a harsh glare.

"Come." Gaara commanded as he walked passed Team 7, Kankuro and Temari following close behind.

* * *

"I don't like how he knew my name without even asking for it. Being the daughter of the Fourth Hokage can seriously get annoying sometimes." Naruko griped as the three entered the building where the exam would be held.

Kane was still in shock.

' _So that was Sabaku no Gaara... The son of the Kazekage...'_ Kane thought to himself.

 _'The host of the Shukaku...'_

"NARUKO!" A shrill voice screeched as suddenly there was a flash of red before Naruko was tackled to the ground.

"K-Karin?!" Naruko shouted in shock at the redhead lying on top of her.

The two girls stood up and immediately began chattering excitedly and too quickly for either Kane or Sasuke to catch.

"I don't- I just- WHAT are you doing here?!" Naruko yelled with a huge grin on her face.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here for the exams!" Karin spoke with pride.

Naruko audibly gasped. "You're on a team?!"

Karin grinned at the blonde before pointing to her forehead protector. "Yup! Only ninja team from Tanigakure, the Village Hidden in Valleys!"

"Where's that at?" Naruko asked in confusion.

"It's between the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Sand villages, inside the Land of Rivers."

"Ohhh! I'm so glad you're here Karin!" Naruko beamed.

Naruko swiftly turned to her teammates.

"Kane! Sasuke! This is Karin! She's my cousin!" Naruko said with pride.

Karin took one look at Sasuke and blushed.

"It's nice to meet you!" Karin said with a flirty smile thrown his way.

Sasuke grunted.

"Karin's amazing, you guys! Her chakra is like, magical! If you bite her and drink her Chakra, it heals any wounds you have super-fast!" Naruko said with pride in her cousin.

"Naruko! You can't just go tell everyone about my abilities! We're about to take an exam!" Karin scolded her.

"What? But Karin! We're family! We aren't going to fight you; In fact, the three of us will watch out for you and your team! Right guys?" Naruko turned to the boys with a huge smile on her face.

"Err..."

"Hn."

"See!" Naruko beamed as if they said exactly what she wanted to hear.

Karin rolled her eyes before smiling again. "Ok Naruko, it was amazing seeing you again but I need to go find my teammates. See you in the exam!" Karin waved as she walked off.

"Bye Karin!" Naruko yelled as she waved wildly.

"Excuse me." An unknown voice chimed in from behind the three genin. The three turned around only to find a young man with a bowl cut hairdo and green spandex.

"My name is Rock Lee! Naruko Namikaze, Sasuke Uchiha, please fight me!"

* * *

"You sure you want to do this?" Naruko said with a smirk as she stretched, eyes on the strange green-clad ninja in front of her. She won the game of rock-paper-scissors against Sasuke and got to go first.

"Yes! I wish to prove myself by defeating a prodigy!"

Naruko paused. "You don't have to prove yourself, Lee. At least not to me."

Lee gave her a confused look. "What do you mean, Naruko-san?"

"I mean I already know all about you. You're awesome! During my final year in the academy, I used to bother my dad all the time about the class that graduated before us. Your team was my favorite to hear about. I really admire your determination, and I know some day you can surpass Hyuuga Neji!" Naruko said with determination and a twinkle in her eye as she fist pumped.

Rock Lee cried anime tears of joy! "THANK YOU, NARUKO-SAN! I WILL STRIVE TO PROVE MYSELF WORTHY OF YOUR PRAISE! I WILL BECOME A SPLENDID NINJA!"

Naruko smirked, "Well, before that, I'm afraid I'm going to rough you up a bit."

Lee turned serious immediately. "Please try!"

Naruko launched herself at Lee.

And was promply thrown to the ground, her head staring up at the ceiling, wondering what _in the hell just happened_?!

"I believe that is game, Naruko-san!"

Naruko was in so much shock that she didn't move.

As Kane dragged Naruko away, Sasuke stood before Rock Lee. He hadn't been taking this seriously before, but now he knew this guy meant business. The guy was clearly good at taijutsu.

Naruko's taijutsu was good, but she was nowhere near as good as Sasuke, and that was without the Sharingan. With it, Sasuke was in a class of his own.

As Sasuke stared at Rock Lee with twin double tomoe Sharingan eyes, he smirked.

He would take him out quickly.

Sasuke charged, Lee standing patiently in a sideways stance with one arm up. Sasuke threw the first punch, and his eyes widened as Lee gave the top of his fist a slight poke, causing him to miss entirely and leave himself wide open as the momentum of his swing carried him forward.

Lee jumped into the air, eyes staring into Sasuke's own.

And Sasuke knew he had lost.

" _Leaf Hurricane!~"_

Kane stared in shock as Sasuke was thrown across the room, landing near him and Naruko.

"YOOOOOOOOOOSH! I DID IT, GAI SENSEI! I HAVE DEFEATED THE PRODIGIES! NEJI, YOU SHALL BE NEXT!" Rock Lee screamed as he excitedly shook a fist towards the air, literal fire in his eyes.

"Rock Lee?" Kane spoke aloud, surprising himself.

Lee turned to Kane. "Yes?"

Kane hesitated. He hadn't meant to speak aloud, but he _was_ curious...

"Why do you want to beat 'prodigies' so badly?"

Lee got a determined look on his face.

"To prove that even someone like me, with no talent whatsoever, can become a splendid ninja! That is my dream!"

Kane decided he liked Rock Lee.

* * *

Naruko and Sasuke walked glumly as Kane stood between the two. Sasuke was scowling with his head down as Naruko looked like she wanted to punch the floor.

Kane couldn't stop smiling.

A 'talentless' ninja Rock Lee called himself... And he summarily whooped Sasuke and Naruko's asses.

Maybe _he_ could become like Rock Lee someday.

His smile widened as the three entered the room where all the Chunin Exam candidates were gathering.

" _Sasuke-kun!"_ a shrill voice screeched as suddenly Sasuke found himself glomped by a blonde haired girl.

"Get off of me, Ino." Sasuke growled out.

"Yeah! Get _off_ of him, Ino-pig!" Another voice screeched as a pink-haired girl marched over, glaring at the blonde.

Ino stuck her tongue and the pinkette "What's the matter, Billboard-brow? Jealous?"

Sakura grit her teeth in anger as she seethed.

"Hey you guys! You made it!" A chubby boy said as he walked up alongside a black haired boy with a ponytail.

"Oh man you guys came, what a drag. I guess it was too much to ask for the two of you to not be here." Shikamaru spoke as he lazily glanced over Naruko and Sasuke.

"Hey hey hey, looks like the whole gangs here!" A boy with weird red markings on his cheeks said as another boy with sunglasses that hid his eyes followed close behind.

"I hope you've gotten stronger, Sasuke! I know I have, and if you haven't I'll be kicking your ass in this exam!" Kiba said with a confident grin at Sasuke.

"Hn. You're not worth my time." Sasuke dismissed him. Kiba looked furious as Shino placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

Team 8, consisting of Kiba Inuzuka and his dog Akamaru, Shino Aburame, and Sakura Haruno. Team 10, consisting of this generations version of the famous 'Ino-Shika-Chou' trio. Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi.

During his academy years, Kane kept to himself as much as possible. He always sat in the furthest seat in the back, as far from Iruka as he could get, and never spoke. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, he spent a lot of time observing his peers.

Kane didn't like Kiba. He was the loudest of the crew, second only to Naruko, and he had an ego that could even give Sasuke a run for his money. Kane didn't have anything against the guy, he just didn't like him. His dog was cute though.

On the other end of the spectrum there was Shino. Shino was by far the quietest. He spoke as much as Kane did. Kane didn't have an opinion of the guy because of this, but he appreciated having another loner in the class at the time.

Sakura Haruno was a pain. She had this screeching tone of voice that just grated on Kane's nerves, and she was always sucking up to Sasuke. Kane would admit she was smart though; best grades in the class.

Ino Yamanaka was no different. Sasuke this, Sasuke that. At least Ino showed a bit more class than Sakura, likely due to coming from a prestigous clan, but she was still nothing more than a fangirl.

Shikamaru Nara was the laziest person Kane had ever seen. He would admit he held a grudging respect for the guy after watching him stare Iruka right in the face and proceed to lay his head down for a nap. Anyone who disrespected Iruka so blatantly was alright in Kane's book.

Choji Akimichi was a nice guy. Kane had never spoken to him, but he was probably his favorite of his classmates at the time. Naruko and Sasuke were his favorites now, of course, but at the time he liked Choji the best. The guy was just so genuine; something Kane found to be a rarity.

As the group of nine continued to interact, Kane felt his skin crawl. He felt as if he was being watched by multiple people, as if the entire room had their eyes on him and him alone.

He scanned the room. As his eyes quickly went through the sea of faces, he quickly snapped his eyes back towards a white head of hair. He could've sworn he was looking at him...

He kept going, dismissing the suspicion he felt. His eyes stopped immediately as they connected with green, vicious eyes. Kane felt fear coil deep in his belly as he found Gaara staring at him, curiosity and something else Kane couldn't describe in his eyes.

Kane turned his back to the redhead and focused on the chattering of his peers, trying to ignore the dread he felt at Gaara's penetrating gaze.

* * *

Being self taught was both a blessing and a curse, in Kane's opinion. It was a blessing because there were things he knew that nobody else did; things he found interesting that he could focus his time and attention on.

It was a curse because there were also things he _didn't_ know, and most definitely should.

Kane stared at the paper in front of him. They were in the middle of the first exam, proctored by Ibiki Morino. These questions were _ridiculous_. There's no way even a quarter of the people in this room would be able to answer these.

Kane was different. Almost, at least.

Kane was used to difficult questions thanks to Iruka. While the questions Iruka gave Kane weren't hard, he was graded harshly. Thanks to this, Kane was good at giving deep, complicated answers to questions, no matter how simple or complex the question itself was.

Really, to Kane, these questions were no harder than the academy questions. If anything, they were _easier_. It was the same concept, only these questions gave Kane more information to work with than he was used to.

The only problem? Kane sucked at math.

Kane had always struggled with it and there was nobody to teach him the proper formulas or methods.

So Kane's math was atrocious.

Over half of the questions involved math of some kind... Kane could answer everything about the question right up until he had to do math. Then he was stumped. So, he just went for partial credit. He was confident his score would be passable, so long as his answers were correct.

As Ibiki explained the rules for the tenth and final question, Kane didn't falter. If there was one thing he could do for his team; it was answer these crappy questions. He would _not_ drag Naruko and Sasuke down.

Not this time.

Kane was startled when Naruko slammed her hand onto the desk in front of her and stood up.

"Do you even know who I am?! I'm Naruko Namikaze! I'm not scared of some stupid question! Go ahead and fail me if I get it wrong; I'll still become Hokage someday, dattebayo!" Naruko yelled with determination.

Kane couldn't help the awe he felt for the girl when he saw her words impact the _entire room_.

Everyone was emboldened by Naruko. Including Kane.

He would pass this test with Naruko and Sasuke, and then he would become a Chunin!

Or his name wasn't Kane Sanguis, jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, member of Team 7!

* * *

End of Chapter 14.


	15. Chapter 15

"Wait, what did you say your name was again?" Karin asked in confusion.

Kane blinked. "It's Kane Sanguis."

Kane stood with his two teammates outside Training Grounds 44: The Forest Of Death. They were waiting for the second portion of the exams to begin. It turned out, to pass the first exam, all you had to do was accept the tenth question... Nothing else even mattered. There wasn't even a tenth question; you just had to agree to take it.

Kane couldn't deny that it annoyed him when he found out. That was way too much stress over absolutely nothing...

"Sanguis... Sanguis... I know I've heard that name somewhere before..." Karin mumbled to herself.

Kane gave her a confused look as Naruko chimed in "Where would you have heard of that before, Karin? Kane's spent his entire life here in Konoha!"

"Sanguis... Sanguis... Oh! I know!" Karin smiled as she apparently remembered what she wanted to. "Sanguis is a clan! Why didn't you just say so, Kane? I knew I'd heard of your name before!"

Kanes mouth dropped open in surprise as his two teammates looked at him in bewilderment.

"What? I'm not part of any clan."

"Yes you are! I remember the name being one of the ones I wrote down for an exam one time during my last year before becoming a Genin! Tanigakure isn't a powerhouse like Konoha, so we spend a lot of time learning about other smaller hidden villages because they're our competition! The Sanguis Clan, located in Hoshigakure, The Village Hidden Among The Stars. It's in The Land Of Bears!" Karin said matter-of-factly.

Kane completely froze as he processed this information. He was a part of a clan...? A clan in Hoshigakure...

This couldn't be right. Karin must be mistaken. There was no way he was a part of a clan! Why was he born here in Konoha if he was a clan member of another village?! There's no way they would let that happen! Hidden Villages valued clans and their members above almost everything else in the shinobi world.

As the proctor, Anko Mitarashi screamed for everyone to get in position, Kane felt numb as he watched Karin walk away after a quick hug with Naruko and a wink at Sasuke.

If he had a Clan... Then...

Did he also have a family?

"Kane? You okay?" Naruko asked with concern.

He shook his head. Now wasn't the time for this. He needed to focus on the exam. Naruko and Sasuke were counting on him!

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm ready!" Kane assured them.

He would look into it later.

* * *

Kane sighed to himself as he stared into the flames of the small campfire in front of him. The exam has been underway for over eight hours, and Kane was currently on lookout while Naruko and Sasuke slept. His shift was the first shift, and after another hour passed he would wake Sasuke up for his turn.

Kane's thoughts drifted to Karin's words, but he immediately squashed them. She was wrong. She had to be; the Fourth Hokage would've told him if he were a part of a clan.

Besides, there was nothing he could do to try to verify her words until after the exams were finished.

Kane jumped up and whipped out a kunai as he heard a guy scream. That scream was close; _too_ close for comfort.

Suddenly Kane felt uneasy. A peculiar feeling grew within him; as if he smelled something nauseating that upset his stomach. The smell was coming from the direction the scream came from.

And then, almost immediately after he smelled it, it was no longer an unsettling aroma. Rather, it was bland. A weak smell that no longer bothered him. It didn't smell good, nor did it smell bad. It smelled...

Coppery.

And it was _calling_ to him.

Kane felt a pull towards it. A pull unlike anything he'd ever felt before. It wasn't all-consuming or demanding pull, no. It was as if it beckoned him, promising sweets and gifts should he come.

It reminded him of the feelings he got around water.

Kane began making his way towards the smell; it wasn't too far, maybe fifty or so meters.

Kane wasn't sure how he knew that.

As the smell got stronger and stronger, he finally found the source.

The corpse of a young genin ninja wearing a Sound Village headband lay on its torso in the middle of a clearing, several kunai imbedded and sticking out of its back.

Kane walked closer; the smell was coming from the body. What was the smell?

Kane relaxed as his eyes landed on the open wounds on the ninjas back. There was blood everywhere; and the stench was coming from the blood itself.

That explained the hint of copper to the smell.

Kane had felt a pull from water many times before, but never from blood. Why had it happened this time?

He slowly walked closer and removed each kunai from the back of the corpse with caution. Kane stared at the open wounds; the fresh blood the wounds were excreting.

And, without moving a muscle, Kane began to move the blood.

He had never thought about what it would be like to manipulate someone _elses_ blood. It was different from his own; this blood felt... Gross. Slimy. As if his chakra was touching something it shouldn't.

Maybe that was exactly it.

It was so strange, being able to move the blood without doing a single thing. It used a negligible amount of Chakra, but it didn't require anything of him to do it. No connection, no hand signs, no thought, nothing. It was as if the blood coming from the ninja was his Chakra, it was just in the wrong place; outside of his body rather than inside. It was the same with water, too.

He dropped the small amount of blood he had been tampering with back where it belonged as he continued to stare.

Water always felt soothing, calming, nurturing... Blood always felt bland. Tasteless. Kane felt more from this guys blood than he ever had with his own, and it was not a pleasant feeling in the slightest. It wasn't necessarily a horrible one, either... It just wasn't good. It made him feel gross, as if he needed to take a shower because he'd been playing in the mud.

The only thing his own blood had ever felt was warm.

This guys blood... It felt warm, too, Kane realized.

In fact, it almost felt warmer now that he thought about it.

No, it definitely felt warm.

Warmer.

Warmer.

 _Warmer._

 _ **Pop!**_

Kane stared in shock as a tiny, _tiny_ little bubble formed in the blood before immediately popping. Having lost his concentration, Kane realized the blood suddenly didn't feel as warm as it had a few moments ago...

He tried focusing on the heat of the blood again.

...

 _ **Pop!**_

Kane stared in awe as it happened a second time. He could heat the blood up? That was... disturbing. He wondered if it had something to do with his third elemental affinity; his affinity for _fire_. Or was it all a part of his theoretical Kekkei Genkai? Or was it the Kyuubi? He didn't know.

He wondered if he could do it with water, too.

He thought back to a time in the library where the same sound had occurred. He had been manipulating water at the time. Was that the time he manipulated both his water and his blood? He wasn't sure.

' _No, I remember... I was only manipulating water at the time. I heard the pop, and then I started manipulating both the water and my blood after that.'_

So, he could make water heat up too. That was actually pretty cool! He needed to test that as soon as possible. He wondered if he could do anything with this info... Maybe he could-

Kane felt a hand on his shoulder as he was suddenly _whirled_ around!

"What the _hell_ are you doing, Kane?!" Sasuke whispered in fury.

"I-I was just checking out a scream I heard, and then I found this guy." Kane whispered back as he stepped off to the side to allow Sasuke to see the dead genin.

Sasuke looked even _angrier_ after seeing the body.

"You heard someone scream as they were getting _killed_ and decided to leave Naruko and me alone, _asleep?!_ " Sasuke whispered with his voice steadily rising until he was nearly speaking at normal volume.

Shit.

Kane had honestly completely forgotten about his team, too entranced by the weird sensations he was receiving from the blood.

Sasuke pinched his nose as he let out a breath in an attempt to calm himself.

"We need to get back. I woke Naruko up and came looking for you, but knowing the idiot she probably fell right back asleep. I'll just go ahead and perform watch duty since I'm awake now." Sasuke said with narrowed eyes as he marched back to camp.

Kane followed dutifully, never even glancing back to the body.

He didn't have to; he could still _feel_ it.

* * *

The three members of Team 7 were eating freshly cooked fish. Well, Kane and Sasuke were eating freshly cooked fish. Naruko finished hers quite some time ago. She was always the first to finish food; her table manners were _horrible!_

They were sitting next to a large lake. Sasuke had gone fishing by literally _diving_ into the water and grabbing fish underwater. Kane had been impressed; Naruko had called him a showboater.

Kane was enjoying both the food and the presence of the water. It continued to soothe him. Kane was glad the calming feelings that water evoked within him had apparently decided to stay, and that the terrible weight he used to feel was hopefully gone forever.

Kane wanted to test if he could heat up the water, but he didn't want to do it with Naruko and Sasuke around. He hadn't told them about his weird abilities, and using them in front of the two would undoubtedly lead to questions and confrontations.

' _I wonder if I should tell them..._ '

Kane snapped his head up and stared at the lake. Kane could feel everything in the lake; all the fish were like Chakra to him. He couldn't see the fish themselves, he could just _feel_ the Chakra within them as they moved through the water, and he could feel the disturbance in the water their movements caused.

Which is why he was able to notice when suddenly three very _large_ fish suddenly appeared near the top of the water on the other side of the lake.

 _Human_ sized fish, to be exact.

 _And they were heading straight for them._

"Someone's coming." Kane said, causing reactions of shock from his two teammates. Both immediately stood up and got into battle positions.

"Where?! How do you know, Kane?!" Naruko spoke with steel in her voice.

"They're coming from the water!" Kane said as his eyes didn't stray from the lake.

Sasuke stared at Kane for several seconds. "Move!" He suddenly commanded as the three of them took shelter in the forest nearby, each one hiding in a different location while still being able to see the camp.

Kane continued to focus on the feel of the three Chakra sources quickly growing closer.

A head suddenly poked out from the water and glanced around before diving back under.

Several seconds passed in tense silence, the only sounds being the sounds of the forest.

Three bodies walked out of the water directly into their camp, each one looking around.

"Damn. They must've found out we were coming." One of the ninja said.

"How can that be? We circled the entire lake so we could get the drop on-" Another of the three spoke before gasping as he was cut off thanks to a chop to the back of the neck, courtesy of Sasuke.

Kanes eyes widened; he hadn't even seen Sasuke move!

The other two whirled around to face him, and suddenly both were flat on their faces with Naruko standing with one foot on each ninja's back.

Sasuke dove forward and gave the two the same treatment as the first.

Kane slowly walked out as he processed what happened.

"Kane! That was awesome! How did you know they were coming?!" Naruko shouted with excitement as she rushed over to him.

"Oh, I uh... I don't know, I just thought I saw some people dive into the lake a little ways off. I figured they might be coming for us so..."

"That's amazing, Kane! Neither me nor Sasuke even knew they were coming!" She gushed causing a blush to rise on Kanes face.

"Check it out; they have an Earth scroll. Now we have both." Sasuke said with a pleased smirk as he held up his trophy.

"Awesome! Now we can head for the tower! Maybe we'll be the first ones there!" Naruko cheered as Sasuke and Kane smiled.

Kane glanced at the three downed ninja. Once again, he hadn't lifted a single finger.

But this time, it was okay.

This time, Kane had helped.

This time, Kane felt like he was a part of the team.

* * *

End of Chapter 15.


	16. Chapter 16

Kane watched as Sasuke began to unwrap the scrolls. The exam had been... surprisingly easy. After getting the second scroll the three of them made their way for the tower, and shockingly enough encountered no problems on the way.

A sudden _**poof!**_ followed by twin bursts of smoke startled Kane. The three genin watch as slowly a man appears from out of the smoke.

A very tall familiar man.

"Team 7! Congratulations on passing!" Iruka Umino said with a huge thrown towards the three of them.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruko chirped excitedly as Sasuke looked confused at his presence. "What are you doing here?!"

"Well, I'm here to congratulate the three of you on passing, of course! That's what the scrolls were; a summoning. The three of you lucked out and got me as the one to greet you!" Iruka said with a laugh and bright smile.

' _Yeah. Lucky us.'_ Kane thought viciously as anger swelled in his belly at the mans mere presence.

"If the three of you were to open the scrolls without having both parts, or without being here at the tower, then I was supposed to knock you out. Good thing you didn't open it, eh?" Iruka smiled as he rubbed his nose.

Naruko snorted. "Like you could, Iruka-sensei."

Sasuke snorted as a laugh tried to force its way from his throat. Iruka looked displeased at the comment but then smiled once more.

"Well! Let me be the first to officially congratulate the three of you on passing the second part of the Chunin Exams!"

"Naruko! I know it can be tough with having the entire villages expectations thrust onto you, and I'll admit you can be pretty childish at times; but you never fail to deliver! I knew you would do well on this exam!" Naruko smiled but a slight tick mark could be seen on her forehead at the bashing of her character.

"Sasuke! You are truly a worthy member to the title 'Uchiha'. Your father has always been so proud of you, and I know you'll continue to impress both him and everyone else in the next stage of the exam!" Sasuke smirked proudly at that; to be called worthy of the Uchiha clan name is the greatest honor in Sasuke's eyes.

"Kane..." Iruka locked eyes with Kane for the first time since his arrival. Kane could see displeasure in Iruka's eyes. The feeling was mutual.

"... Good job."

Kane deserved a medal for managing to keep the hatred off of his face and his stare blank.

"Until the exam has finished the three of you get to have some time off, so enjoy yourselves! Don't overwork yourselves; everyone needs a little break now and then!" Iruka said smiling brightly.

* * *

"Kakashi!" Naruko chirped happily at the silver haired mans presence. Apparently Kakashi had been waiting for them in the tower all day today.

"Yo!" Kakashi responded with an eye smile towards the three.

"How did you know we would be finished so soon? The exam started yesterday." Sasuke asked.

"I had a feeling the three of you wouldn't have too much trouble."

"Are we the first ones here, Kakashi?! Are we?!" Naruko asked excitedly.

Kakashi shook his head. "No, there was one other team that got here first."

Naruko deflated. "What team?" Sasuke asked with curiosity in his voice.

"A team from Suna. They beat the all-time record for the exam, in fact." Kakashi said matter of factly.

The three stared at him surprise.

' _It was Sabaku no Gaara's team, I'm sure of it!_ ' Kane thought with no small amount of trepidition.

"What was their time?" Sasuke asked.

"One hour and thirty seven minutes... Nearly four hours faster than the previous record."

The three were even more shocked. Less than two hours?! That means they got to the tower the same night the exams started!

Kakashi eye-smiled. "Anyway! Second place is nothing to sneeze at, and now you three have an advantage many of the others won't have."

Naruko looked confused, "What's that, Kakashi?"

"You three will be well rested before the preliminaries begin."

"Preliminaries? What do you mean?" Sasuke inquired with narrowed eyes.

"It's not official, but there have been talks about a set of preliminary fights taking place after this exam ends instead of us just sending you all home."

"Wait, send us home? I thought the next exam would take place right after this one!" Naruko asked confused.

"No, the final round of the Chunin Exams will take place in a little over a month from now. It'll be explained later, don't concern yourselves with it right now. As I was saying, there have been talks of a set of preliminary matches taking place due to the unusually high number of would-be Chunins that passed through the first round. Ibiki credited the abnormally high number of passes to a certain blonde headed, twin pig tailed daughter of Lord Hokage." Kakashi said giving Naruko a look.

Naruko looked sheepish and blushed slightly as she rubbed the back of her head.

"It's not been confirmed; they're waiting to see how many people manage to get through the second exam. Really, I'm not even supposed to be telling the three of you any of this, but..." Kakashi eye-smiled at this, "As long as we keep it between the four of us, what they don't know won't hurt them, eh?"

Naruko gave him a bright grin at this. "You're the best, Kakashi!"

"Yes, I know. Anyway, enjoy the next several days or so off. You three earned it." Kakashi said with another eye-smile.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Kane spoke up for the first time. The three turned their attention to him.

"Yes, Kane?"

"Who held the record before this exam?"

Kakashi's face turned serious at that, causing the three Chunin-hopefuls to tense up in response.

"It was Itachi Uchiha."

* * *

The members of Team 7 were granted a room to rest in, however the three were forced to share. Three sleeping bags were provided for them to use.

As Kane stared up at the ceiling in thought, he couldn't help but smile. Who would've thought that Sasuke was a snorer? It was quiet and not bothersome in the slightest, but it was there. Kane had camped outside with Sasuke on several occasions in the past and Sasuke had never made a sound before. He wondered if it was because he was on edge, whereas here in the tower Sasuke didn't feel the need to be ready for combat at a moments notice.

"Can't sleep either, huh?" He heard Naruko whisper to him from next to him.

"Yeah, I can't stop thinking about everything." Kane whispered back to the blonde.

"I know! I'm so excited... We're going to kill it in the fights!" Naruko whispered with determination.

"Fights? How do you know the next exam will be fights?" Kane asked curiously.

Kane thought he saw the girl roll her eyes at him, but it was hard to tell in the dark. "Preliminary matches? What else would that be except fights?"

Kane nodded before realizing she probably couldn't see him. "That makes sense I guess."

"I wonder if it'll be one-on-one matches, like a spar, or if it'll be team fights..." Naruko wondered aloud.

"Probably one on one. There's no guarantee everyone in a team will survive, there might be teams missing members."

Naruko gasped before qrowing quiet again and turning, presumable checking to make sure she hadn't disturbed Sasuke.

"Kane! That's horrible!"

Kane shrugged before once again remembering it was dark. "It's true though."

Naruko hummed in response.

Kane hadn't been lying when he said his thoughts were running a mile a minute. The difference was that he hadn't been thinking about the exam at all... His mind was filled with what happened when he was standing in front of the body of the dead Genin.

Now that Naruko had successfully derailed him and gotten his thoughts on a different path, Kane felt concern bubble in his chest.

One on one matches... Kane wasn't sure he was prepared for that.

Sure, Kane had experience in spars thanks to Naruko and Sasuke, so he wasn't necessarily afraid. He was just concerned. What if he got matched up against someone he stood no chance against? Like Naruko, or Sasuke. Or Rock Lee.

Or Gaara.

Kane shivered at the thought. He wasn't ashamed to admit the guy scared the hell out of him.

Maybe he'd get lucky... Maybe he would get matched up against someone he could beat, like Sakura Haruno or Ino Yamanaka.

Maybe he wouldn't.

"Naruko?" Kane whispered out to see if she was still awake.

"Yeah?" She responded back equally as quiet.

"What if we don't do well on the next exam? What if... What if we fail?" Kane gave voice to his concerns for the first time.

 _'As if Naruko or Sasuke would fail... I'm the one who's not good enough to be here.'_ Kane thought bitterly.

"Then, I guess we'll just have to try again!" Naruko said with determination.

"What? But... But we need to win now! We need to become Chunin!"

"Says who? If we lose... That just means we need to try harder, ttebayo!" Her trademark slogan slipped out in a louder voice than she meant to, before growing quiet again as the two listened to Sasuke's snores.

"Just because we don't win today doesn't mean we can't win tomorrow! We just have to keep growing stronger! That's what it means to be a Leaf Village Shinobi! We don't quit, and we don't give up!"

Kane had never respected anyone more than he respected Naruko in that moment.

* * *

The next day found Naruko and Kane walking side by side towards the official arena where the prelims would be held. They wanted to get a grasp of the area and create battle strategies. It was Sasuke who suggested they go check it out as he had done so earlier, having woken up long before either of them.

"So then Konohamaru-kun just... Just turned into an older, _naked_ woman! Right in front of me! He was so proud of himself, called it his _'Sexy Jutsu'_! I was so mad that I chased him around Konoha for hours before I finally caught him and gave his head a good pounding!" Naruko spoke as she recalled the time she first met Konohamaru Sarutobi.

Kane laughed at the story. Konohamaru sounded like a funny kid.

Naruko loved Kane's laugh. It wasn't often that she got to hear it, but whenever she did it was just so _genuine_. As if he was holding it in but couldn't help it any longer and he just _burst_.

 _'I hope I can get him to laugh more often!'_ Naruko thought with a fond smile towards the boy.

Suddenly Kane halted, causing Naruko to stop and do the same. Kane was looking forward and his eyes were shining with _fear_.

Naruko looked forward and her eyes caught the image of a head full of red hair.

Sabaku no Gaara was standing across the hallway, and his eyes were drilling into Kane's own. He wasn't even looking at her; just _Kane_. Gaara's eyes were full of curiosity, but there was something else in there too... Something Naruko couldn't describe... Like a lion staring at a gazelle right before it pounced.

Naruko decided she didn't like Gaara looking at Kane like that.

She took two steps forward and placed herself just slightly between the two boys. "Is there a problem here?" She asked with a glare towards the redhead. The boys eyes finally left Kane and darted towards her. He stared at her for several long seconds without uttering a word.

"The two of you are... Different. Mother is screaming at me... She demands blood, and yet..."

Gaara's eyes snapped back to Kane.

"And yet the blood Mother demands is not the blood that it should be."

Gaara began walking towards the two, and they both tensed as he slowly walked passed them, never once turning back as he walked away.

Naruko and Kane let out simultaneous relieved sighs.

* * *

Kakashi had been right. They would be subjected to preliminary matches because of the amount of people that passed the first two rounds. Kane noticed that the Rookie Nine, as many of his peers had taken to calling their little group, were all gathered in the arena. There was also Team Gai, and Kane got his first look at last years Rookie Of The Year, Neji Hyuuga. The guy was _intense_ , Kane admitted to himself.

There was only one group that passed that Kane found he didn't recognize. A group of Sound ninja.

Surprisingly enough, the white-haired one with glasses gave up before the matches even started. Weird.

Now Kane found himself waiting with everyone else on the upper deck for the first match to be declared. Kane felt a strange sort of pride at the number of Leaf Village Shinobi were present.

 _'Although, to be fair, half of the participants at the beginning were Konoha Shinobi, so...'_

As the screen flashed and began mixing up names, everyone in the room turned their attention to it.

It made a sound, and suddenly two names were displayed.

 _Inuzuka Kiba_

 _vs_

 _Sanguis Kane_

* * *

End of Chapter 16.


	17. Chapter 17

_'Not wasting any time, huh?_ ' Kane thought with no small amount of trepidition as he made his way towards the center of the arena.

He wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that he was going first. If he went later, he would get to watch the other matches before he fought and maybe draw some ideas from what he saw. At the same time, if he went later, he might become intimidated should he find himself lacking compared to everyone else...

Kane locked eyes with Kiba. His opponent was good at taijutsu, Kane knew this firsthand. It wasn't very often, but sometimes the academy held small spars between the students. Kane had sparred with Kiba a grande total of three times.

Kane had never touched him.

"Well well well! Looks like we get a free win, Akamaru!" Kiba taunted as the small dog on his shoulder barked in agreement.

"Kick his ass, Kane!" Naruko cheered from the sidelines as Kakashi shook his head at the girls antics.

Kane knew, if you took the current him and put him up against the Kiba he fought in the academy, that he stood a pretty good chance at winning. Sparring multiple times per week with both Naruko and Sasuke had done wonders for his Taijutsu, and he was confident he could've taken the old Kiba.

That was with just Taijutsu, though. He knew Kiba came from a clan and therefore probably knew all kinds of jutsu. Kane didn't know anything besides the bunshin, substitution and transformation...

 _Nothing._

Not only that, but Kane doubted Kiba had been slacking during these past three months. The guy had walked directly up to Sasuke and basically challenged him!

Kane was _not_ confident in his odds.

"What do you think, sensei?" Sakura Haruno asked up to Kurenai Yuhi, the leader of Team 8.

"Kiba is strong. That boy, Kane, was the dead last coming out of the academy... I don't know what kind of training Kakashi put the boy through, but I doubt it was enough. This should be an easy victory for Kiba." The red eyed woman spoke thoughtfully.

"Shutup! You don't know what you're talking about!" Naruko spat as she overheard the womans words. "Kane is going to win!"

"Doubtful." The normally quiet Shino Aburame spoke.

Sasuke stared down at Kane, lost in his own thoughts. ' _Kane can't win.'_ He finally decided to himself. Not that he'd dare say that out loud, lest he incur Narukos wrath.

Kakashi said nothing as he, like Sasuke, watched the two in the arena in silence.

"What do you think, Gaara?" Kankuro spoke to his little brother. "I've noticed you've spent a lot of time watching that Kane kid. Think he'll win?"

"Shutup, Kankuro."

Kankuro glared at the red head, but was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

Temari was bored. She couldn't care less about this match, but she agreed with Kankuro. It was curious how Gaara had taken such a striking interest in the kid. Kane was his name; she'd _never_ forget the name of a person that _Gaara_ took an interest it.

"YOOOOOOSH! SHOW HIM THE POWER OF YOUTH, KANE-KUN!" Rock Lee's voice ricocheted across the entire arena. Rock Lee saw a bit of himself in Kane; an average, talentless Shinobi that nobody bothered to learn the name of, overshadowed by his prodigous teammate. Or _teammates_ , in Kane's case, which had to have been even harder on the boy than it was for Lee! So Lee would cheer him on! Lee wanted Kane to show the world that even a talentless ninja like them could become a _splendid ninja!_

Neji and the female of Team Gai, Tenten, said nothing as Might Gai cried tears of joy at his favorite pupils spunk.

As Choji munched on some potato chips, he mumbled out "The guy doesn't stand a chance! Kiba's going to destroy him!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Choji!" Ino screeched at him as Shikamaru sighed.

"Choji's right. This is a complete mismatch." Shikamaru drawled out lazily. He just wanted to go _home_.

"Don't be so sure, Shikamaru. You'd be surprised what a person is capable of when they're backed into a corner." Asuma Sarutobi told his student.

Shikamaru looked doubtful.

Kane pushed his doubts to the back of his mind. Now was _not_ the time! The Fourth Hokage gave a speech earlier before making his way towards a seat at the top of the arena. The Fourth Hokage was going to _watch_ him!

His team, they were going to _watch_ him! Kakashi-sensei would be watching. Sasuke would be watching.

Naruko would be watching.

He may have failed on the first C-Rank, and lost out on a second chance during the second C-Rank, but this time...

This time, he had a chance to prove himself.

Kane would fight. He would fight his absolute hardest. He wouldn't just _roll over_ for Kiba, he would _fight_.

And, maybe, earn his place on Team 7.

Kane may have been in plenty of spars, but this was different. There weren't any restrictions and he had no idea what kind of tricks Kiba held up his sleeve. The Inuzuka clan member almost certainly held Ninjutsu; and if he were to use any of them, Kane decided he would never stand a chance.

So he'd do his best to not give him that chance. When the match started, he'd _rush him_.

"Are the two of you ready?" The proctor of the exams, Hayate, asked after a short coughing fit.

"Hey! Wait! Get that dog out of the arena, dog-breath!" Naruko yelled down into the arena.

"Akamaru is my partner; he's allowed to fight with me." Kiba smirked up towards the blonde as her face took on a look of shocked outrage.

"This is correct. Akamaru is allowed to fight alongside Kiba." Hayate spoke.

Kiba glanced at Kane.

And smirked.

"That being said... Who am I to deny the command of the villages precious little princess? Akamaru! Go up and watch with Kurenai-sensei and the others. I'll take care of this myself." Kiba barked out to the pet. Akamaru whined, clearly unhappy about his masters orders, but did as commanded and jumped off his shoulder and took off.

Kane felt relief. That took care of _one_ problem, and he knew the Inuzuka clan were famous for their combo attacks with their dogs.

Then he felt _anger_. Kiba didn't even think Kane was worth fighting all out against.

It pissed him off.

"Alright, I repeat. Are the two of you ready?" Hayate asked again.

The two boys nodded, one smirking and the other glaring hatefully.

Hayate chopped the air.

"Begin!"

Kane charged at Kiba before the final syllable had even left Hayates lips. Kane immediately threw a right hook at Kibas face which the other boy blocked with his left arm, smirking at Kane.

"Come on now, Dead Last, you sure you want to fight me hand to hand?"

Kane felt rage at the nickname as he threw an uppercut with his other arm. Kiba took a slight step back causing Kane to miss entirely and threw a kick towards Kane's stomach.

To the shock of almost everyone in the room, Kane caught Kibas kick, sweeping the boys other leg during his moment of surprise. Kiba landed on his back with a loud _'Oof!'_ and Kane quickly launched a punch at the downed Inuzukas cheek.

As Kiba recoiled from the punch, Kane pulled back and attempted to launch another blow, however Kiba recovered in time to catch his hand before placing both feet on Kane's chest and pushing him off, causing Kane to stumble a few steps as Kiba hopped up.

The majority of the crowd looked on in shocked awe; Kane landed the first hit! Naruko looked on in pride before throwing a smirk towards Kurenai.

"Lucky shot!" Kiba snarled in anger.

Kane rushed him again.

As the boys continued trading blow after blow, Kakashi eye-smiled.

"Kane sure has grown."

Sasuke nodded in agreement before glancing at Naruko. The girl had her full attention towards the fight, so Sasuke looked back at his sensei before mumbling "It's not enough, though."

Kakashi simply hummed in agreement, "No. No it's not."

As Kane took a punch to the gut, he surprised Kiba when he took out a kunai and slashed at the boys face. Kiba managed to dodge any real damage, however the kunai grazed his cheek, leaving a cut which dripped a slight amount of blood out.

Kane felt the difference _immediately._

It was the same feeling he got from the body in the Forest Of Death. He could suddenly _feel_ Kiba; as if the boy were one of the fish in the river under the bridge or the lake in the forest.

Only the entire _air_ was the water, and Kiba was swimming through it.

Kanes momentary hesitation cost him as Kiba kicked him, _hard,_ causing Kane to fly across the room.

"So we're playing dirty now, huh Dead Last?!" Kiba growled out. "Fine! Two can play dirty then!" Kane stood up slowly as he watched Kiba pull out two small spheres wrapped in paper.

 _'Smoke Bombs!'_

Kiba launched the balls at Kane and they exploded near him, causing purple smoke to engulf the entire area. Kane couldn't see a _thing._

Kurenai smirked, ' _Kiba's nose will allow him to see even inside the smoke. Kane's at a disadvantage here.'_

Kiba sprinted towards Kane and into the smoke. Kiba quickly pinpointed Kanes location and ran towards him and threw a punch.

He missed.

' _What?!'_

Kiba quickly threw a kick at the body that he _knew_ was right in front of him.

Another miss.

 _'How is he dodging my-'_ Kiba was cut off as he felt a shoe connect with his face, sending him sprawling onto the floor. He immediately jumped up and sensed Kane running.

 _Right towards him._

' _I can see!'_ Kane screamed at himself as he continued to throw blow after blow at Kiba, his eyes completely closed shut.

 _'Even without my eyes, I can SEE! I can feel him! I can feel every part of his body, and every movement he makes!'_ Kane thought to himself.

Kiba was taking a serious pounding. He could smell where Kane was, but he couldn't see details. His nose could only give him an idea of where Kane was, and yet it was as if Kane wasn't blinded by the smoke in the slightest!

Kiba quickly jumped out of the smoke, panting heavily as he tried to figure out how the hell he was losing to the Dead Last!

The smoke dissipated as Kane stood there, eyes _completely closed shut._

' _W-what?! How did he?!'_

Kanes eyes opened, and he smirked at Kiba.

"How the hell did you do that, Dead Last?!" Kiba roared in anger as the onlookers were once again surprised.

"YES! GO KANE, KICK HIS ASS!" Naruko screamed at the same time that Rock Lee shouted "KAAAANE! SHOW HIM THE FIRE OF YOUR YOUTH!"

Kane felt confidence surge through him.

 _He could win!_

Kiba spat out some blood, his lip cut from one of the blows Kane threw his way.

Kane stared at the blood on the ground, and suddenly he found himself no longer concerned about winning or losing.

Kane felt nothing but pure, unadulterated, _excitement._

Kane charged once more, fueled by the sudden burst of adrenaline he felt at the sight of Kiba's blood.

Kiba couldn't keep up.

' _Where the hell did he get this energy from?!'_ Kiba screamed to himself. No longer were they trading blows; now it was just Kane pummeling Kiba into the ground.

Kiba jumped back as Kane landed another punch across his face, and Kane was quick to follow.

' _I'm going to lose!'_ Kiba thought in dismay.

As Kiba took another blow from Kane, he decided _he'd had enough_.

"THAT'S IT! I WON'T LOSE TO THE DEAD LAST OF THE GROUP!" Kiba screamed as he kicked Kane away slightly. Kane immediately jumped back towards him, and Kiba got into a position Kane had never seen before.

" _Four Legged Technique!"_ Kiba shouted as he suddenly got down on all fours, his nails lengthening.

And as Kane threw another punch, he found himself swinging at the air. Kiba wasn't in front of him any longer.

Kiba was behind him, now.

" _Tunneling Fang!_ " Kiba yelled as he spun towards Kane and knocked him into the air. Kiba quickly jumped, following Kanes ascent, and _rammed_ him.

It didn't stop there. As Kane was in the air, Kiba continued to mercilessly ram him over and over. His speed was far beyond anything Kane could hope to keep up with.

Finally, the assault ended as Kane landed in a heap on the ground. Kiba stood across the arena, breathing raggedly as he stared at Kanes limp form.

Kane hurt. He really, really hurt. He'd been beaten plenty of times by Naruko and Sasuke during training sessions, but _never_ like this.

But he couldn't quit. He wouldn't! Kane had to _win._

He stood up shakily, and Kiba gasped in surprise.

"How are you still standing?! Just... Just stay down, Dead Last! It's over!" Kiba yelled at him.

Kane liked that idea. Laying down sounded so easy, right then... Maybe he should just...

The smell of copper hit his nose once more, and Kane snapped his head up towards Kiba. Kiba recoiled slightly at his sudden movement, and Kane found himself once again focusing on the _feel_ of Kiba, rather than what his eyes told him.

Kiba was tired. Not as tired as himself, Kane doubted, but he was still tired. He could tell because Kibas body temperature was much higher now than it was when he first cut him with the kunai.

 _Wait._

Kane focused on Kiba's body temperature again. He could feel how warm he was...

 _How warm his blood was._

Kiba charged at Kane, and time seemed to slow down.

Kiba was warm.

 _So, so warm._

Kane wanted him to be warmer. Kane wanted to manipulate the blood he felt inside Kiba, just like he'd done so many times with water. Just like he did with the body in the forest.

 _So he did._

As Kiba approached closer and closer to Kane, he felt warmer and warmer. Was Kiba's skin... turning red? Or was that just his imagination?

No, Kiba was definitely turning red. It reminded Kane of a pale, older man that spent too much time out in the sun, overheating his body.

Kiba's blood felt so _warm._

Warmer.

 _Warmer_.

 _ **Warmer**_ _._

And then, Kane realized Kiba had his fist firmly planted into his cheek.

 _And his world went dark._

* * *

End of Chapter 17.


	18. Chapter 18

There was nothing above him, only pitch black darkness. Kane couldn't see anything above, and yet there was light from below.

He was floating, his torso facing the sky. The water surrounding him was calm; soothing.

Kane pulled his wet hand in front of his face. Water dripped from it onto his cheeks, and yet Kane refused to blink.

 _'Where am I?'_

His hand was red. Why was his hand red?

No, not his hand. It was the water. Why was the water red?

 _'Blood?'_ Kane asked himself drowsily as he licked the liquid on his fingertips.

No, not blood. Water. Red water.

Why was the water red?

It felt so good.

Kane allowed his eyes to close as he basked in the warm, comfortable liquid.

This was paradise.

* * *

Kane's eyes opened to the view of a white ceiling above and the consistent beeping sound of a heart monitor. Kane sat up only to find Naruko beside his bed, asleep. Her head was resting on the mattress across her arms, her body sitting in a chair positioned facing the bed.

Kane felt a swell of affection for the girl as he smiled.

Kane stretched as quietly as he could.

He felt _great_!

Kane couldn't remember the last time he felt so good. He felt pumped up and full of energy, and for some reason Kane felt as if he was ready to take the world by storm!

And then reality struck as he remembered.

The Chunin Exams.

The preliminaries.

Kiba.

Kane felt shame and disappointment completely wash away his good mood.

 _'I... I lost...'_

Why, exactly, had he thought it was a good idea to experiment with his abilities during the middle of a fight?!

Kane felt _so stupid_.

Once again, he had failed.

Apparently Kanes drastic change in moods caused him to wake up Naruko by accident, as she suddenly shot up from her seat.

"Kane! You're awake!"

Kane turned his sorrow-filled expression onto the blonde haired ninja, and she flinched at the look on his face.

"What happened, Naruko?"

Naruko looked uncomfortable, and the girl stayed quiet.

"Naruko." Kane said a bit more forcefully.

"You... You froze up again, Kane. Kiba charged you and... You were doing so well before! I don't know why you just suddenly... He hit you in the face and you were knocked out. Kiba won." She said bitterly and with regret as she wouldn't look him in the eyes.

Kane felt numb.

"What else?"

"You've been asleep for a long time, Kane. Eighteen hours, to be exact... The preliminaries are finished." Naruko spoke towards the floor.

So he hadn't even gotten to see the other matches.

Typical.

Kane sighed aloud. It wouldn't do to dwell on his loss; not yet, anyway. He would feel sorry for himself when he was alone.

"What happened in the other matches?" Kane asked as a way to distract the both of them.

Naruko still looked uncomfortable.

 _'Something else happened. Something bad...'_

"After your fight with Kiba, Neji Hyuuga fought the one Sound Shinobi that made it through the exams. The guy lives up to his name, that's for sure, but he's an ass. I don't like him. He said some... Cruel things about his cousin, Hinata, when I yelled at him for being arrogant. You remember Hinata, right Kane? She was in our class once." Naruko rambled on.

Kane remembered Hinata. The girl was as quiet as he and Shino were. She disappeared the year before their final year at the academy, and he never learned why.

"Anyway, Sakura and Ino fought next... Those two are really, really weak. They ended up knocking each other out." Naruko said with an eyeroll.

"Then, it was _my_ turn!" Naruko said with a huge grin as she pointed at herself, "I got matched against Shino Aburame. The guy uses _bugs_ , just like the rest of his clan. It was so _gross_ , Kane! I won though. He placed bugs on me to try to siphon my Chakra... But I didn't care! I had _plenty_ of Chakra to spare! It didn't even bother me! I got the drop on him with a clone that I actually henged into a bug and dropped on his shoulder! He never even saw it coming!" Naruko snickered with pride as Kane smiled at the girl.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to watch it," Kane said with regret. The girl blushed as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Ah, it's... It's okay. It's not like it was your fault. Besides, there was never any doubt as to the outcome anyway! Hehe!" Naruko smiled widely at him.

"Anyway... Bastards fight was next. He fought Choji. Choji's a nice guy, but he never stood a chance. Sasuke didn't even use a single Ninjutsu; _or_ his Sharingan." Naruko rolled her eyes in annoyance, presumably thinking Sasuke was being arrogant again.

Naruko's eyes went wide, "Oh! Kane, you'll never believe what happened in the next fight! It was amazing! I really wish you'd been there to see it!"

Kane's curiosity spiked as he gave the girl a look of encouragement, wanting to hear the story.

"The sound girl, Temana or whatever-"

"Temari." Kane corrected.

Naruko gave him a strange, annoyed look.

"And how do you know that?"

Kane blinked in surprise at her sudden show of hostility, "I studied up on that Sand village trio. I wanted to learn more about the red head, Gaara."

Naruko huffed in annoyance, "Well, _Temari_ , got matched up against... You'll never guess it... Shikamaru Nara!" Naruko suddenly spat out with excitement.

Kane was confused as to how, exactly, _Shikamaru_ could invoke such a response from the girl.

"He was amazing, Kane! He was ten steps ahead of her the entire time! Turns out the guys, like, a genius or something! Asuma Sarutobi, their sensei, he said his IQ was over two hundred!" Naruko gushed.

Kane couldn't deny the jealousy he felt for the boy.

 _'Shikamaru apparently earned everyones praise for his showing... And I got knocked out by Kiba, and everyone thinks I froze up... Again.'_ Kane thought bitterly.

"Shikamaru managed to beat her by making her bash her head against the wall." Naruko snickered in amusement.

Suddenly, Naruko tensed up.

Kane tensed too.

"W-what's wrong?" Kane asked with caution.

Naruko bit her lip and looked towards the ground...

"The next fight..." Naruko trailed off.

Kane tensed up. It was Gaara. He _knew_ it had to be Gaara.

"Ah... well... the last fight was between the girl on the team with Rock Lee and Neji Hyuuga. She's not nearly as impressive as her teammates. She got matched against the other Sand boy. Not... Not Gaara. The other one. He uses puppets, apparently, and every kunai and shuriken the girl threw at him he just blocked with his puppet before taking her out. He was _playing_ with her." Naruko mumbled.

Kane paused.

That left only...

"Naruko... What happened in the fight between Rock Lee and Gaara?" Kane asked with dread as he realized they were the only remaining contestants.

Naruko bit her lip again, clearly not wanting to say.

"Naruko..."

The girl glanced at him with sorrowful eyes.

And as Naruko told Kane of the fight between Rock Lee and Sabaku no Gaara, Kane weeped.

* * *

One month. That was how long until the final matches of the Chunin Exams would begin. Kane found Kakashi after being released from the hospital, intent on asking the man what the plan for the next month would be.

He was _not_ happy with what he was hearing.

"But what about me?!" Kane nearly shouted at his sensei in anger.

Kakashi sighed. He knew this was coming.

"Kane, I told you, I'm going to be taking Sasuke away for one-on-one training in preparation for the exams. Naruko will be training with her father and godfather, and you are free for the next month to learn on your own."

Kakashi suddenly reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper.

"Here. Put some Chakra into this."

Chakra paper.

Kane internally cringed as he knew what this meant.

As Kane pumped Chakra into the paper, it did exactly what he expected.

Soaked. Cut in two. Burnt.

Kakashi's eye widened in true surprise.

"Three elemental affinities? That's quite remarkable, Kane." Kakashi hummed to himself.

Kakashi looked at the boy, calculating.

"I'm not just leaving you out to dry, Kane. For the next month, I want you to focus on learning some basic elemental jutsu. Water is your main affinity, try focusing on that first." Kakashi stated as Kane felt dread bubble in his chest.

 _'But... But I have been doing that for over two months! I still can't even do basic D-Ranked Water Ninjutsu!'_ Kane internally screamed, but outwardly kept his mouth shut.

"I also want you to learn how to walk on water. You remember the tree-climbing exercise?"

 _'You mean the only thing you've actually taught me?'_ Kane thought bitterly.

"I want you to do the same thing, only this time I want you to learn how to walk on water. It's a more advanced form of the tree-climbing exercise." Kakashi droned on as he pulled his book out.

"Learn how to walk on water and learn the basics of Water ninjutsu. If you learn quickly and find yourself wanting to learn something knew, then focus on learning Wind ninjutsu next. You and I can go over some more advanced details, _after_ the finals."

Kane felt bitter towards the man.

 _'All he's basically told me to do, that I haven't been doing already, is learn how to walk on water...'_

Kakashi sighed as he could see Kane was still upset from his peripheral.

"I have plenty of ideas regarding you, Kane. As soon as the Chunin Exams are finished, you and I are going to have a nice, long chat. The majority of my time will be spent on you after this." Kakashi looked up from his book at Kane.

"I'm asking you to trust me, Kane."

Kane felt abandoned.

* * *

Kane glared at the money in his hand harshly. Here he was, over three months after becoming a Genin, stealing once again because he couldn't afford to feed himself.

He felt bitter and resentful. If he had just _won_ his fight, things would be different; he was sure of it.

If he had just _proven_ himself, Kakashi wouldn't have left him out to dry.

If he wasn't such a _dead weight_ , he could become a true member of Team 7.

And yet he hadn't.

Kane had failed.

 _Again_.

So, he was back out on the streets, once again repeating his usual theft of one victim per day in order to afford cup-ramen and ramen from Ichiraku's.

Kane didn't even _like_ ramen. _He never had_.

 _Nothing had changed._

* * *

Kane sighed, feeling better for the first time since he woke up now that he had finished venting.

"Thanks for listening to me, Jane." Kane said with a smile towards the picture.

Kane continued to stare at the picture of a woman he did not know nor would he ever meet. Jane was always there for him.

Jane was the only one there for him.

Kane didn't know what he would do without Jane. Whenever he needed someone to talk to, Jane was there for him. Whenever he looked around the nasty apartment and dismayed at how empty it felt, he remembered he had Jane.

Whenever he felt alone, he had Jane.

Jane was his only possession. The only thing in this world he could call _his_.

Kane paused. That wasn't true. Not completely.

Kane stood up and walked to his mattress. He lifted up the corner he never slept on to reveal a small picture frame.

Inside was a picture of Kane, Naruko, Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei. Naruko was grinning brightly as she threw her arms out, accidentally punching both Sasuke and Kane in the stomachs. The picture was taken at the exact moment the two of them looked shocked at the unexpected hit, and Kakashi-sensei was eye-smiling in the background, one hand on Kanes head and the other on Sasukes. It was taken shortly after the three of them passed the bell test and officially became Team 7.

When Kakashi gave Kane the picture, Kane felt unworthy. He felt completely undeserving of the picture. Kane felt out of place and isolated from the rest of his team.

Kane didn't feel like he _belonged_ on Team 7.

He wasn't worthy.

So, Kane hid the picture under his mattress. Someday, when Kane proves himself as a worthy member of the team, Kane will proudly place the picture frame in a special spot, where he'll see it every day before he leaves and every night before he goes to sleep.

Kane had hoped, after the Chunin Exams were finished, Kane would have proven himself worthy enough to place the picture frame in a special spot.

Now, his journey through the exams were finished, and Kane felt no more worthy now than he had been before. Kane had failed, again, to prove himself. Kane regretfully placed the object back under the mattress, hidden from view.

Kane was starting to doubt he'd ever be worthy of the photo.

* * *

End of Chapter 18


	19. Chapter 19

Kane took a deep breath.

"Is it true?"

Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, stared at Kane with apprehension.

"Kane-kun, it's... Not as simple as that. There's a lot that you-"

"Is it true?!" Kane nearly shouted as he cut him off.

The Hokage stared at Kane for several long, tense seconds in silence.

"Yes. It's true." He finally spoke.

Kane collapsed onto the chair behind him as he stared at the floor in silence.

No words were spoken for several minutes, the Hokage just staring at Kane in sorrow as Kane contemplated all this information entailed.

"Why?" He finally rasped out, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Minato sighed sadly, "What good would it have done, Kane? You're a Leaf Shinobi, not a Star Shinobi."

"But I'm _supposed_ to be a Star Shinobi! Hoshigakure is where my clan is! It's my home!" Kane shouted in anger and betrayal.

"It's not that simple, Kane." Minato said with narrowed eyes.

"How?! How is it not that simple?!" Kane snarled back.

"Why do you think you were born here, Kane, and not in Hoshigakure?" Minato asked calmly.

Kane hesitated, "I... I don't know."

"Because, Kane, your parents came here. Your parents were actually the first request to move into Konoha from another villages clan members I ever received. Your parents were _running_ from Hoshigakure, Kane."

Kane paused as the information sank in, "Why? Why were they running?"

Minato sighed sadly, "Because, Kane, your clan is basically extinct at this point."

Kane recoiled in shock and denial.

"It's true, I'm afraid. Another member of the Sanguis clan, named Naibu, purged the Sanguis clan from existence. As far as we know, you and Naibu are the last remaining members."

Kane stared at the floor in shock.

"Your parents were running from Naibu. According to them and what little information I was able to retrieve, Naibu began killing off the Sanguis clan members due to a radical ideology. Naibu was considered to be the greatest of his generation, and Naibu decided the clan would only prosper if all future clan members came from his genes and his genes _alone_."

Minato stared at Kane with sorrow.

"I'm sorry Kane, but you and this 'Naibu' are the last of the Sanguis clan. Your home is _here_ , Kane, just as your parents wanted. Your parents brought you here for protection, and so long as you remain with us, this 'Naibu' will never touch you; you have my word."

Kane said nothing.

Minato sighed once again, "Besides, we couldn't let you leave anyway."

"Because I'm a Jinchuriki?" Kane whispered out.

Minato froze as he stared at Kane. Kane finally broke his staring contest with the floor and looked the Hokage in the eyes. There was something... Off, about his stare. There was an ocean of guilt and regret behind his eyes.

"Yes, Kane. Because you're a Jinchuriki." Minato finally admitted aloud. Other than Kakashi-sensei, Kane had never received confirmation on his status as jailor. Hearing the Hokage himself say it made it seem all the more real to Kane.

Kane still had so many questions he wanted to ask the Hokage. What were his parents like? What happened to Naibu? How could he be sure there weren't other survivors?

Did his clan have a Kekkei Genkai?

But Kane didn't ask any of these things. Kane wasn't sure he would believe the Hokage if he even told him. The Fourth Hokage had lost a lot of Kane's trust. He was supposed to be the _one_ person in the world who had Kane's best interests in mind, and yet he had kept such a vital part of Kane's own life hidden away from him.

The Fourth Hokage hadn't told him about his clan. He hadn't told him there was a murderer out there possibly still looking for him. He hadn't told him about the Kyuubi.

Kane's faith in 'Mister Hokage' was shaken.

So without a word, Kane stood up and silently made his way out of the office, Minato's sorrowful eyes on his back.

* * *

"-and Sasuke's with his dad right now, apparently learning some new fire techniques." Naruko babbled at Kane as the two of them sat at Ichiraku Ramen.

"What? I thought Sasuke was training with Kakashi-sensei?" Kane asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yeah, that's what Kakashi told me too, but Sasuke's dad apparently insists on sharing Sasuke with him. He's going to teach Sasuke whenever Kakashi isn't. I didn't really ask for details, that's just what Sasuke told me." Naruko said thoughtfully.

 _'Then why can't Kakashi-sensei train me, too?!'_

"My godfather is coming into town! You have to meet him, Kane! He's a huge pervert, but I think you'll get along with him!"

"W-what?! Are you calling me a pervert?!" Kane asked with a double take.

Naruko laughed her tinkly laugh, "No, Kane! I'm just saying I think you'll like him! He's a really strong Shinobi and he's a nice guy once you move passed his quirks."

"So why aren't you out training right now with your dad?" Kane asked the blonde. The two of them were eating lunch at Ichiraku's; Kane _never_ ate lunch here. He always ate cup-ramen, if he had any, and then came to Ichiraku's for dinner. Kane didn't generally eat breakfast.

"He's busy with Hokage stuff right now. He told me to just do whatever I wanted until tonight. I was going to train, but I thought; why not go see Kane!" Naruko said with a dazzling smile that caused Kane to blush.

Kane looked down into his bowl as his cheeks burned red, unsure what to say to that. Naruko smirked in satisfaction at his reaction before turning back to her food.

Kane glanced up at Teuchi Ichiraku; the man was fidgeting, constantly throwing glances his way.

Today was a day that Ayame worked, after all.

He guessed she was supposed to arrive soon. Kane had been concerned of precisely that before coming, and had felt relief when he realized Ayame must only come later on.

Not much later, though, if the owners body language was anything to go by.

He supposed he should wrap things up here and be on his way.

"Hey, Naruko, I think it's about time we should go."

"Eh? But Kane! We've only been here for ten minutes!" Naruko whined in disappointment.

Kane gave the girl a shaky, forced smile, "I know, but there's this new exercise I'm supposed to be practicing and I'm excited to get started."

Naruko's eyes _shone,_ "Ah! I see! You're right; I should start training too! Let's do our best to grow even stronger, Kane!"

Kane smiled as he gave the girl a nod.

As the two made their way out of the stands, Kane glanced back to see the visible relief on Teuchi's face at his departure. Kane felt dismay at this

Would he _ever_ be able to get people to stop looking at him like that?

* * *

It was a perfect night. The weather was cool, a slight breeze blowing through the air, and yet just warm enough to not need a jacket.

Kane looked at the large pond. If the water walking exercise was anything like the tree climbing, this would _not_ be easy.

Kane leaned down and ran his hand through the water; soothing, calm, tranquil. Kane couldn't properly describe how grateful he was that these feelings hadn't left him when around water. It was one of the few things that had truly gone _right_ for Kane lately. When Kane was around water, or specifically when he was _touching_ water, Kane felt as if all of his trouble just... _drifted away_.

Kane removed his hand from the pond as he stood up. He focused his chakra into his feet; the same way he would walk on trees.

Kakashi-sensei warned him that this exercise was much more advanced than the tree climbing one. It would not be nearly as simple, however his experience with the first exercise would help him wonders in mastering this.

He knew what to do; he just had to _do it_.

Kane took a step onto the pond, and his foot stepped as if on solid ground.

Another step.

Another.

Kane walked further and further across the pond.

 _'This is... Surprisingly easy.'_ Kane thought with a frown.

So Kane slowly picked up the pace. Faster, faster and faster until finally Kane was all out sprinting across the water.

As he slowed to a stop, Kane looked down at the water in confusement.

 _'Wasn't this... Wasn't this supposed to be difficult?'_

Kane began pumping less and less Chakra into his feet, until eventually he wasn't pumping Chakra into them _at all_.

And he was still standing on the waters surface.

Kane stared down in concentration.

And suddenly, Kane fell into the water.

As Kane quickly swam towards to surface, he waded at the top of the water, pondering this.

And, without pumping Chakra into his hands or feet; without even _moving a single muscle_ , the water gave way and began pushing him until he was once again standing on the surface.

Kane continued to stare, as once again the water bent to his will and allowed him to slowly sink back into it.

 _'My... My weird Water abilities let me do the water walking exercise without even trying! In fact, I'm using less Chakra doing this than I do when I climb trees!'_ Kane thought with glee as a smile broke out onto his face.

 _'I wonder if...'_

Kane ducked his head under the water and began swimming.

Only, he wasn't actually swimming. Kane wasn't moving at all, in fact. The water was pushing him in the direction he wanted to go.

Kane felt awe as he looked around the inside of the lake. It was so pretty! The moonlight reflecting off the bottom of the pond gave the area a charming sort of glow.

Kane felt amazing, flying through the water without doing a single thing. Kane felt as if he could do anything! Kane felt, for the first time in his life, like he was in complete control of everything around him!

Kane felt _free_.

That feeling didn't last long, as Kane suddenly found himself gasping for breath. Kane panicked as he realized he should probably _breath_.

Kane looked towards the top and began to flail around in an attempt to swim towards the surface; and soon Kane found the water pushing him up to it by his command.

As Kane gasped for air as he surfaced, he began laughing.

 _Finally,_ something was going his way!

Kane slowly pushed himself - without actually doing a single thing, of course - towards land. As Kane stepped out of the water and onto dry land, he glanced down at his soaking wet form.

Maybe he should've taken his clothes off.

But Kane smiled as slowly the water on his skin and soaked into his clothes began leaving the surface of his body and entering the ground below. After several minutes of contemplation, Kane began walking away from the pond towards the library. He had thought he would be spending all night trying to master this technique. Turns out he was wrong.

With the water walking exercise mastered, Kane walked with confidence in every step.

* * *

 _'Damnit!'_ Kane internally yelled as he slammed the book shut.

 _'I thought that, maybe, since I can even do the water walking exercise without breaking a sweat; maybe I could finally learn how to do some D-Ranked Water Ninjutsu! But NO! I can't do it! I just can't do it! No matter what I do, I just can't mold my Chakra into the water!'_

Kane felt pure frustration bubble in his chest. _Why_ couldn't he do a simple D-Ranked Water Jutsu?!

Whenever he began trying to mold the Chakra required for a water jutsu, he failed miserably. It didn't matter what he did. Kane had tried everything he could think of. He'd tried using his Chakra to create water by molding the Chakra into water. He'd tried using real water and molding his Chakra into it and then using that water for the jutsu. He'd tried attempting the water jutsu without actually trying to mold his Chakra into anything at all. He'd tried everything he could think of!

Nothing worked.

 _'Kakashi-sensei told me to learn the water walking technique and learn some D-Ranked Water Ninjutsu. I've mastered the water walking exercise, but learning these jutsu is just impossible!'_

Kane felt his deep insecurities begin to rise to the surface. What if he wasn't good enough to learn these jutsu? What if he'd _never_ be good enough? Kakashi-sensei had given him _two_ jobs during this month. Even if he had mastered the water walking technique, what if Kakashi-sensei was so disappointed in him making no progress in an entire _month_ with his elemental affinity that he considered him hopeless?!

If he didn't already, that is.

 _'He probably already considers me a lost cause; that's why he's only training Sasuke.'_ Kane thought bitterly towards the white haired man.

Maybe he should just _give up_. Maybe water jutsu just wasn't meant for him, despite what the Chakra Paper told him. Despite this weird Kekkei Genkai he had.

 _'That's what it means to be a Leaf Shinobi! We don't quit, and we don't give up!'_ Naruko's words resonated within his head.

He shook away his doubts and kept trying. He _would_ learn how to do elemental jutsu! He wouldn't quit, and he wouldn't just _give up_. Naruko would be disappointed in him if he did!

Kane was a Leaf Shinobi, and he intended to prove it.

* * *

End of Chapter 19.


	20. Chapter 20

"The great JIRAIYA-SAMAAAA!" The older, white haired man screamed as he took a pose. Kane sweapdropped as Naruko looked embarassed by her godfather.

"Ah.. S-sorry about him, Kane! He's a little... eccentric! But he's a strong ninja, I swear! Even if he doesn't look like it..." Naruko mumbled the last part as Jiraiya of the Sannin gripped his heart in a display of hurt and pain at her words.

Kane believed her. Kane had read plenty of the legendary Jiraiya The Toad Sage. He knew looks could be deceiving, and this was a perfect example of just that.

Although, he admitted to himself, Jiraiya was absolutely _nothing_ like the books described him.

Kane gave a shaky smile to the man, "It's very nice to meet you, Jiraiya-sama!"

The man looked pleased at the title, "See that, Naruko-chan? That's what you call respect! You could learn a thing or two from your boyfriend here; I approve of him! An excellent choice!" The man laughed heartily as the blonde blushed and stammered at his words.

"He's not- I mean I- it's not like that- just... Just shutup PERVY SAGE!" The girl finally shouted as her face turned completely red.

Kane smiled at the two as his own blushed faded away.

 _'Is this what it's like to have a grandfather?'_

Naruko had referred to the man as such many times before; although she had never mentioned he was _the Jiraiya_.

It made sense. The sensei of her father is an ideal person to be her surrogate grandfather; he had just never put two and two together.

"Brat, it's time to go. Your father is waiting for you back at the manor; get a move on." Jiraiya said with annoyance at the title she bestowed upon him.

Naruko grumbled as she gave Kane a little wave, "I'll see you later Kane." And then she was off.

Jiraiya turned to Kane, a serious look on his face.

"The Kyuubi Jinchuriki, huh?"

Kane recoiled in surprise at his statement. Jiraiya walked closer to Kane, and the boy felt frightened.

"Let me make one thing clear, brat. You hurt my goddaughter, and you answer to _me_. Understood?"

Kane could only nod.

Jiraiya smiled a huge grin at this, "Excellent! Good to know we're on the same page! Maybe you can straighten that girl out; Kami knows she needs it!" The man chuckled as he pat Kane on the head.

And then he was gone in a burst of smoke.

 _'Yikes'_ was all Kane could think.

* * *

"Hey did you hear? Naruko Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha will both be in the Chunin Exam finals!" Kane overheard a random civilian state.

"Yeah I did! It should be awesome! Especially since Sasuke Uchiha is in the first round, and he's up against the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan! It's going to be incredible!"

Wait.

The brackets were out?!

Kane rushed towards a flier on the side of a building and quickly scanned it.

Kane felt dread fill him at what he saw.

 _Chunin Exams Finals!_

 _Round 1:_

 _Uchiha Sasuke vs Hyuuga Neji_

 _Nara Shikamaru vs Sabaku no Kankuro_

 _Namikaze Naruko vs Sabaku no Gaara_

 _Inuzuka Kiba vs Winner Of Namikaze vs Sabaku_

* * *

"But why didn't you tell me?!" Kane demanded of the blonde.

"Look, it's not that big of a deal, Kane..." Naruko spoke gently.

"Like hell it's not! You told me all about what happened to Rock Lee!" Kane spat out.

"Lee is strong, but Lee only knows Taijutsu... He was at a serious disadvantage against someone like Gaara. I won't have the same problems Lee did."

"But what if you lose?! Going up against someone like Gaara... What if he kills you?!" Kane voiced his concerns.

"He won't, Kane... Because I'm going to win!" Naruko said with fire in her eyes.

"But what if you don't?!"

"I will!"

"How can you be so confident!"

"Because I'm strong, Kane! I've been training my whole life; I won't run away just because my opponent is strong! Besides, what kind of Hokage would I be if I ran away from a challenge?"

There was no talking her out of it. Kane had known there was no chance of that before he even came; but he just felt like he _had to try_.

Naruko would fight Gaara.

Kane felt anxiety swell within him.

* * *

"Ah, I need to go, Kane." Naruko suddenly spoke.

"Where to? You said Jiraiya-sama and your dad were busy today." Kane asked with a curious look as the two left Ichiraku Ramen, having just eaten lunch.

"Ah, it's nothing. I just... I have something I need to do." Naruko said as her eyes narrowed, a serious look overtaking her previously relaxed features.

"Alright, I'll see you later then." Kane said with a nod.

Naruko leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before taking off in a sprint.

Kanes heart fluttered.

* * *

"Um..." Kane looked up from the book he was reading. It was a beautiful day and Kane had borrowed a more advanced book on Water Ninjutsu from the library last night, so Kane decided to read out in the park. Normally he wouldn't do something so bold; but it was just so nice out today, he couldn't resist.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Kane asked of the petite girl standing in front of him.

"Um... Y-you probably don't remember m-me, but..." The girl stammered.

"Sure I do. You're Hyuuga Hinata. We were classmates once."

"Ah! Y-yes. That's me. C-can I sit?" Hinated gestured to the empty spot next to him.

"Sure." Kane closed the book and watched as she sat down beside him cautiously.

The two were silent for several moments, Kane patiently waiting for the girl to gather her thoughts.

"N-Naruko-chan came to the Hyuuga Complex yesterday." She finally said.

Kanes eyes widened in surprise, "What did she go there for?"

"S-she came looking for Neji-kun."

"Why?" Kane asked as his eyes narrowed.

"S-she said she wanted to t-teach him a lesson for t-talking bad ab-ab-about me." The girl stuttered out.

Kane was surprised, and then he wasn't. It was just so _Naruko_.

"What happened?"

"T-they fought... and N-Naruko-chan won. S-she listened to Neji-kun talk about his b-beliefs, about the burden he carries and how s-someone l-like her could never understand."

Hinata took a deep breath.

"N-Naruko-chan said some of t-the most inspiring w-words I've ever heard before. S-she convinced Neji-kun to move passed his anger t-towards me, and N-Neji-kun formally apologized to me last night."

Kane nodded. If anyone could convince someone to get their act together, it was Naruko.

"So, why are you telling me this?" Kane asked in confusion.

Hinata seemed surprised by the question before collecting herself.

"N-Naruko-chan kept mentioning you... She kept telling Neji-kun how b-brave you were, how you were al-always alone, and yet you never gave up. You never quit. It... It really resonated within me, i-if I can be quite f-frank with you."

"I decided I h-had to meet you. Anyone who could have such an im-impact on somebody like Naruko-chan has to be amazing." The girl blushed as she looked to her feet.

"N-Naruko-chan inspired me. Just over a year ago, I dropped out of the a-academy. I... I didn't feel worthy of b-being there. My younger s-sister has always been a more worthy heir to the H-Hyuuga clan, and I guess I just... Gave up. Naruko-chan spoke so highly o-of me... Even though I'm nothing more than a q-quitter. Its th-thanks to her that Neji-kun has changed his ways, and it's thanks to her t-that I've gained just a little bit more faith in m-myself."

"Next semester, I'm going to return to the academy, and pr-prove myself worthy to be a Hyuuga Clan member, and a Shinobi of Konoha." Hinata said with confidence for the first time in this entire conversation.

Kane smiled at the girl, "I wish you the best, then. I'll do my best too, Hinata."

Hinata smiled back at him shyly, "N-Naruko-chan is amazing, isn't she?"

Kane nodded, "Yeah. She is."

* * *

Kane sighed as he closed his eyes in frustration. He was nearly finished with the book he took from the library, and it was getting late. Another hour or two and he'd head off to the library once again.

Kane glanced at Jane and smiled.

"Think I'll ever figure this out, Jane? Water Ninjutsu just... It just avoids me. I can't grasp it no matter what I do. It almost seems futile." Kane sighed again.

"But! I won't give up! I'm going to keep trying; just like Naruko would do!" Kane said with determination towards the portrait.

He turned back to the book with a confident smile on his lips as he continued to read. He would figure this out!

He was Kane Sanguis, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, squad member of Team 7, and Konoha Shinobi.

Kane had lived alone in this very apartment since his sixth birthday. He rarely had visitors, the exception being the Hokage and recently Kakashi-sensei had shown up a couple of times when he had fallen ill. There was also that one time Naruko showed up, but he preferred not to think of that.

Kane may have kept the place clean, but he _never_ had visitors. Good thing, too, because his apartment was disgusting and run-down despite his attempts to keep it in good station.

That was why the fact that his door did not have a lock never bothered him before.

He'd never regretted it more than he did at this very moment.

The door opened and Kane dropped his book in shock; _who the hell was walking into his apartment?!_

Kane froze as fear engulfed him as a crop of red hair filled his vision, followed by a piercing green gaze.

 _Sabaku no Gaara had just waltzed right into his apartment._

Kane quickly stood up as he stared at the other boy. Gaara slowly walked closer to Kane before coming to a halt several feet away, his arms crossed and their eyes locked onto each other.

"W-wha... W-wh... W-what are you doing in my apartment?" Kane stuttered out. Had he ever been this afraid?

Kane didn't think he had.

Gaara said nothing as he continued to stare at him.

The tension was so thick in the air Kane could practically see it.

"I've come to kill you." Gaara spoke in all seriousness, his mouth the only part of his body making any movement at all.

"W-what?" Kane stuttered in surprise.

"I've come to end your existence, and prove my own, Kane Sanguis."

Kane went mute. What the _hell_ was he supposed to say to that?!

Gaara continued to stare at him.

"Y-you can't just kill me, Gaara! I don't care if you _are_ the son of the Kazekage! You can't just go around murdering people from other villages!" Kane spoke with more confidence than he felt. He was proud of himself for that. "You-"

"Shutup."

Kane obeyed.

"I can do whatever I want. Who's going to stop me?"

Kane narrowed his eyes as he gathered all the courage he held within him.

"I will."

Gaara raised an eyebrow. Kane wasn't sure, but he thought it was supposed to be a look of amusement.

Like a toddler trying to kick an adult in the shin.

"I... I know all about you, Sabaku no Gaara. I know you're the youngest son of the Kazekage! I know you have the Shukaku sealed within you. I know..." Kane felt a lump in his throat. "I know about your sand powers."

Kane felt rage bubble within him as he considered the position he was in.

Why was everyone _always_ out to get him?! What had he ever done to deserve this?!

Kane glared at Gaara hatefully.

He would _not_ die here.

Gaaras eyes went wild, " _Yes, Sanguis! Show me those eyes when you die! Those eyes that speak of love for only yourself! The eyes of true strength!"_

Gaara relaxed as he composed himself, doing a complete one eighty in a matter of seconds.

"Before I kill you," Gaara spoke as if nothing had happened, "I want you to tell me something."

"W-what?" Kane had no idea what was going on.

"You have the same eyes as me." Gaara said as he continued to bestow his deathly frightening gaze upon Kane. "You have the eyes that speak of great loneliness. Of pain."

Kane had no idea what the guy was talking about.

"Tell me, Kane Sanguis. Why do you have such sad eyes?" Gaara asked with genuine curiosity.

Kane was _floored_. Sad eyes?! He didn't have sad eyes!

Did he?

Gaara was waiting patiently for a response, and there was only one that Kane could think to give.

"Because... Because I'm the same as you! I have the Kyuubi no Kitsune sealed within me. The strongest of the biju! So you better... You better back off, before you make me mad! My demon is as real as yours; and it's a lot stronger, too!" Kane spoke with fire, amping himself up and gaining in confidence as he spoke.

Everything he said was true. Why should he be afraid of Gaara?! His demon was _stronger_!

And then, Kane felt horrified as Gaara began to _laugh_.

"You're a Jinchuriki?! That's why you have such lonely eyes?! Ahahaha!" Gaara laughed like like an absolute madman. The usually stoic redhead was scaring Kane now more than he ever had before.

And that was saying something.

Gaara calmed down as he suddenly gripped his forehead in pain. He slowly relaxed and stared at Kane, his face stoic and expressionless once more.

"Mother has one ability that all other biju lack." Gaara spoke in a monotonous voice.

 _'Mother? ... He must be talking about the Shukaku.'_

"Mother can sense the other Biju. Mother and I have never encountered another Jinchuriki like myself before coming to the Leaf Village." Gaara continued to monologue.

"Imagine our surprise when we find one here." Gaara spoke with glee shining in his green orbs.

 _'Is that why he wants to kill me? Because of the Kyuubi?'_

"You were the first one I noticed, Kane Sanguis. You have the same eyes as I do. The same lonely, desperate eyes..." Gaara trailed off.

"And yet, mother had no interest in you, Kane Sanguis."

 _What?_

"Why? Why did mother not care about you at all? She would not tell me; all she told me was she wanted me to _kill_." Gaara spoke with madness in his eyes.

"Mother wanted the blood of the Nine Tails to be spilt across the ground. Mother wanted the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi to scream in agony as I destroyed them."

Gaara paused and Kane held his breath.

"Mother wanted the blood of Naruko Namikaze."

... _What?_

"You are _no_ Jinchuriki, Kane Sanguis. I understand now... A Jinchuriki demands hardship and strife. A Jinchuriki is doomed to live a life of loneliness."

Gaara smiled an evil, twisted smile.

"But the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune is also the daughter of the Fourth Hokage, isn't she?"

Gaara laughed as Kane was frozen in place.

"You are nothing more than a sacrifice, Kane Sanguis. A scapegoat to keep the real Jinchuriki protected. You and I are alike in that way; we are the ones who bear the hate and cruelty of those around us."

Kane said nothing.

Gaara stared at him for several moments in silence, before turning his back to Kane.

"From one set of lonely eyes to another, I will do you this one favor, Kane Sanguis. I will allow you to live so that you may watch as I crush the life out of Naruko Namikaze. And then, once I have satiated mothers demand for the girls blood, I will kill you, and prove my existence."

Gaara slowly walked away, until finally the soft click of the door shutting was the last sound to be heard.

Kane stared, frozen in place.

He didn't know how long he sat there in complete silence, unmoving, unthinking, unfeeling.

Slowly, Kane turned towards Jane.

 _And smashed the portrait to pieces._

* * *

End of Chapter 20.


	21. Chapter 21

Naruko Namikaze allowed her gaze to flow throughout the crowd in the arena. The Chunin Exam Finals were about to begin; Sasuke would be up first, against Neji. Naruko internally smirked at the memory of completely _spanking_ the Hyuuga prodigy several weeks ago. It felt really good to pull that stick out of his ass, ttebayo!

Her eyes finally found what they sought; Kakashi was sitting near the front row on the opposite side of the arena from where the contestants would be watching the other fights from. Kakashi's lone eye gazed right back at her, and he shook his head sadly. Naruko frowned.

Kane was supposed to be seated right beside their sensei, only he apparently wasn't here.

Naruko hadn't seen Kane in over two weeks. She was almost positive he was avoiding her; Kakashi, too. Kakashi had gone to Kane's house to check up on him several times at her behest, and he was never able to find the boy. Kakashi assured her that he hadn't gone missing; he found a steadily increasing amount of empty cup ramens scattered around the apartment.

Still, she hadn't seen him since right before her fight with Neji.

It was frustrating. She _knew_ he was avoiding her and she had absolutely no clue why. She didn't like the idea of Kane not wanting to see her.

Naruko glanced towards the top of the stadium; her dad was sitting next to the current Kazekage in plain sight for everyone to see. The two powerful leaders would be watching the match.

 _'I'll make him proud ttebayo!'_

Naruko stood beside Sasuke as the seven Chunin hopefuls listened to Genma, the proctor, drone on and on about this and that. Naruko wasn't really listening. The only part she'd caught was Kiba asking where Hayate was, and Genma said that he would be filling in for the man as he had come down with 'a serious case of stage fright'.

"Would everyone besides Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Neji please head up to the viewing platform."

As the five Genin began making their way up to the area, Naruko glanced one more time behind her where Kakashi was at.

Her heart _soared_ when she saw Kane in the process of taking his seat, Kakashi immediately engaging the boy in small talk.

 _'I knew he'd come!'_ She thought with a huge, relieved grin.

Naruko felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulder. She _really_ wanted Kane to watch her fight, even if he was upset with her for whatever reason.

She wanted to show him how strong she'd gotten.

Kane hadn't been pleased when he found out she was fighting against Gaara, but then again she had specifically avoided telling him for that reason. She knew she would've been the same way if it were Kane that was matched against the redhead. She couldn't stand the thought of Kane getting hurt; she nearly went ballistic when Kiba knocked the boy out.

She glared at the aforementioned Inuzuka. After she beat Gaara, she was going to teach _him_ a lesson, too.

 _Nobody_ touched her Kane.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke smirked at his opponent. There was something different about the Hyuuga, he wasn't the same person Sasuke saw fight in the preliminaries. Sasuke had a fairly good guess as to why that was.

"Begin!" Genma announced as he jumped away.

The two noble clan members continued to stare at each other.

"So, I heard you took quite the pounding from my teammate a while back." Sasuke taunted the white eyed boy.

Neji said nothing as he continued to watch Sasuke curiously.

"Maybe you should give up. The idiot can barely keep up with me, if you lost to her you don't stand a chance against me." Sasuke taunted.

That was a lie; Naruko currently held the title in their sparring contests by two victories. Not that the Hyuuga needed to know that.

"Are you quite finished?" The Hyuuga prodigy finally spoke up in a low drawl.

"Yeah, I am. And so are you." Sasuke smirked as he got into position. Neji responded by doing the same, only instead of the Uchiha Clan taijutsu form he stood in the Hyuuga Clan form.

 _'I'd have to be an idiot to try my hand at taijutsu against this guy. I'll take him out with Ninjutsu.'_ Sasuke thought to himself as he activated his Sharingan.

Neji activated his Byakugan, and charged.

 _'Fast!_ ' Sasuke thought in surprise as he dodged a swift palm strike from the Hyuuga.

Sasuke jumped away and Neji was quick to follow.

Sasuke smirked as he dodged another blow from Neji.

And another.

And another.

And another.

A frustrated look crossed Neji's face as Sasuke put some distance between the two, smirk still in place.

Neji was fast, but he would never catch Sasuke.

 _'Sasuke, I want you to watch Lee closely with your Sharingan. You could learn a few tricks from the boy.'_ Kakashi had spoken to Sasuke immediately before Rock Lee fought Sabaku no Gaara.

And he had been right. Sasuke picked up the natural flow of Lee's movements instantly thanks to his Sharingan. Kakashi then put Sasuke through speed training.

 _'Neji's fast, but he'll never hit me.'_ Sasuke thought with a smirk.

Still, it would be safer to keep his distance.

Sasuke performed several quick hand signs before shouting, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" and launching several small fireballs towards the Hyuuga.

Neji didn't even blink as he began dodging and weaving around the fireballs, quickly closing the gap between the two once more before striking out. Sasuke barely managed to sidestep the blow.

 _'tch! Ok, I was wrong; he's definitely fast enough to hit me!'_

Sasuke whipped out several kunai and launched them at Neji as he jumped away. Neji dodged the first few before catching the final kunai with two fingers, throwing it right back towards Sasuke.

Sasuke ducked, letting the kunai fly over his head before leaping into the air towards the wall of the arena. He began running up the wall as Neji stared at him in confusion.

Sasuke smirked. _'Let's see you handle this, Hyuuga.'_

He hoped his father was watching; this was for him!

 _'Sasuke, when you fight the Hyuuga boy, I want you to show everyone in attendance the prowess that is the Uchiha Clan. I want you to show them the beauty and terror that the Uchiha Clan is capable of, with this one jutsu.'_ His fathers words echoed in his mind as he launched himself away from the walls, flying over the center of the arena and staring Neji down.

Sasuke performed a series of hand signs _'Boar, horse, tiger...'_

"Fire Style: Greatest Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke roared out as a giant inferno of a fireball appeared, covering the entire fields in a blaze of glory. The jutsu was even larger than the Uchiha Clan's famed Great Fireball Jutsu!

As Sasuke finally finished pumped out Chakra from his mouth, he stared in awe as he could see blue Chakra swirling in the center of the fiery inferno that had overtaken the entire field.

Neji stood in the center of it all, as he finished twirling, and glared at Sasuke.

 _'So that's the Rotation technique?! How the hell does this guy know it?!'_

As Sasuke found himself falling straight towards Neji, he prepared himself for a serious blow.

Nejis palm connected with Sasukes stomach, sending the boy flying. Thankfully, the direction he flew towards was one in which the flames had already dissipated.

Sasuke stood up slowly as he held his stomach, Neji staring at him with his hands on his hips.

"Is that all? So much for all your boasting, Uchiha." Neji smirked.

Sasuke grit his teeth in annoyance.

"I'm ending this." Neji said before stepping into a gentle fist stance.

 _'Shit!'_

"You're in my range, Uchiha." Neji smirked before immediately dashing towards Sasuke.

"Two Palm!" Neji shouted as he blocked the first of Sasuke's tenketsu.

"Four Palm!" Neji shouted blocking the next two.

 _'This is bad!'_ Sasuke thought with panic.

"Eight Palm!"

"Sixteen Palm!"

"Thirty Two Palm!"

Neji had him completely disabled! He couldn't channel any Chakra throughout his body!

Except, that is, his left arm, which Neji had yet to strike.

 _'It's my only shot!'_

Sasuke quickly grabbed Neji's right shoulder with his left arm as Neji went in for the final blow.

Sasuke envisioned he was using his most recent challenge. Sasuke has been trying to learn a new lightning jutsu, based off of Kakashi's Chidori, for the passed several weeks, however he had yet to master it.

That didn't mean he'd learned nothing, however.

Sasuke channeled lightning through his entire left arm, and the connection between the two boys caused the lightning to jump straight onto Neji.

Neji howled in pain as the lightning coursed through his body, stopping his assault dead in its tracks.

As Sasuke found himself unable to channel anymore Chakra, the two boys stood there, grappled onto each other tightly and breathing heavily.

Finally, Neji collapsed to the ground with a twitch.

Genma appeared next to them, having been on the wall of the arena following Sasuke's fire attack.

He stared for several seconds at the downed Hyuuga and the frozen, but still standing, Uchiha.

"The winner is Uchiha, Sasuke!" Genma announced as the crowd roared its approval.

"Way to go, bastard!" Naruko cheered.

"Oh man I'm next, what a drag..." Shikamaru mumbled.

"Heh, not bad Uchiha!" Kiba yelled out.

"He's pretty strong, huh Gaara?" Kankuro asked.

Gaara said nothing.

 _'Heh, I may not have mastered the Chidori Nagashi in time for the exams, but it looks like my effort wasn't wasted.'_ Sasuke thought, pleased with himself as he slowly made his way back to the waiting area.

* * *

"Oh man, let me guess... You're going to fight even harder than usual to get revenge on me for beating your sister. Man what a drag..." Shikamaru Nara groaned as Kankuro just continued smirking at him.

"Nah, I don't care about that. You knocked her down a few pegs. If anything I should be thanking you."

"Are the two of you ready?" Genma asked the boys.

Kankuro nodded as Shikamaru groaned.

"Begin!" and Genma jumped away.

Kankura whipped out Karasu as he smirked at the other Genin.

"Man, this is so lame. You know the crowd doesn't even care about this match, right? They're all just here to watch the villages special little princess fight."

Kankuro laughed, "Well I guess we better give them a good show then, huh?"

Shikamaru sighed as he prepared for the worst.

"Let's go, Karasu!" Kankuro yelled as the puppet took flight and charged Shikamaru.

Shikamaru quickly jumped away as the puppet followed after him.

 _'Shit, Sasuke just had to burn the arena, didn't he?'_ Shikamaru groaned internally as the only life left in the field were several dead, burned trees with no leaves.

Karasu suddenly opened his left arm and shot a single, purple pellet towards the Nara.

 _'Shit!'_

The pellet exploded into purple smoke around Shikamaru, however the genin suddenly ' _poofed'_ into a log.

 _'Substitution!'_ Kankuro realized as he turned around, finding Shikamaru near the wall of the arena that was closest to his person.

And a shadow flying across the ground towards him.

Kankura quickly jumped far away from the shadow as just before reaching him, the shadow seemed to struggle before coming to a halt.

Kankuro smirked at the annoyed looking Shikamaru.

"Hah! Your jutsu has a maximum range, huh?! Well don't worry, brat, I don't plan on letting you lock me down with that shadow jutsu of yours like you did to my sister!"

Karasu began its assault anew, and Shikamaru quickly launched several kunai at the puppet.

And was shocked when the _puppet_ used a substitution, too.

 _'Aw crap.'_ Shikamaru thought in dismay as he found Karasu nearly on top of him, his mouth opened revealing a small, elongated, sharp needle flying right towards him.

Shikamaru jumped away as the needle grazed him ever so slightly.

He threw several kunai at Kankuro, forcing the boy to jump closer towards his location. He launched his shadow at the puppet user, and Kankuro merely smirked as the shadow was just short of being able to reach him.

Shikamaru smiled as another shadow appeared on the ground.

"What?!" Kankuro gased in shock as the new circular shadow connected with Shikamarus own, allowing him to reengage Kankuro with his shadow possession jutsu.

And he hit!

"What!? I... I can't move!" Kankuro grit out as he struggled against the possession.

Shikamaru smirked as he slowly walked closer to Kankuro, the boy imitating his every move.

"How?! How did you do that?!"

Shikamaru said nothing as he turned his head skywards, allowing Kankuro to see a small kunai floating in the sky, tied to Shikamaru's jacket.

"What?! When did you-"

"Before our match even started. I was wearing a jacket when we were watching Sasuke's fight, didn't you notice? I planned this out well before our match." Shikamaru smirked as the two boys continued to walk closer, finally standing at arms length.

Kankuro glared at the Nara as Shikamaru sighed.

"This fight is finished."

Kankuro smirked.

Before Shikamaru could react, Kankuro suddenly reached out and grasped the other boy in a tight hold, as if sharing a hug.

"W-what?!"

Shikamaru looked over to see he was no longer looking at Kankuro, but rather he was staring at Karasu.

The other Karasu opened its mouth, and the real Kankuro jumped out.

"Heh, you're not the only one who planned ahead!" Kankuro boasted as Karasus grip on Shikamaru tightened.

And tightened.

And tightened.

Shikamaru smirked.

Kankuros eyes widened.

"Come on, you're too obvious..." Shikamaru drawled as he _'poofed'_ into a log yet again.

 _'Another damned substitution!'_ Kankuro screamed internally as he suddenly found he was unable to move.

"Checkmate." Shikamaru said as he stood several feet from Kankuro.

The crowd was completely silent.

Shikamaru sighed.

"For me, that is..."

Kankuros eyes widened in confusion.

"I don't have enough Chakra to finish you off, and your little blade earlier was tipped with poison, I noticed... I figure I've got about five more minutes before I lose consciousness."

Shikamaru raised his hand into the air.

"I forfeit."

And the crowd went nuts in confusion and shock.

* * *

"Would the next two contestants please-" Genma began before there was a _'poof'_ of smoke in the center of the field. The smoke cleared to reveal Naruko Namikaze on one knee.

The girl quickly stood up and posed for the crowd.

" _ **Naruko Namikaze is here!**_ " The girl screamed as the crowd roared in excitement.

Genma shook his head at the girl, "Will Sabaku no Gaara please come down?"

Gaara calmly began making his way out into the arena.

This was the fight everyone was waiting for.

* * *

As Minato Namikaze smiled at his daughters antics, he glanced at the 'Kazekage' seated beside him.

He wondered when, exactly, the man planned to reveal who he truly was.

He wondered what happened to the real Kazekage.

Minato sighed. He would deal with Orochimaru when the time came.

He wanted to watch his daughters match.

* * *

End of Chapter 21.


	22. Chapter 22

"Mind if I sit here?" Kane and Kakashi turned to find a red haired girl standing with a large grin on her face.

"Of course." Kakashi said with an eye smile as Kane merely turned his attention back to the arena.

Karin sat down next to Kane. "So, your girlfriend is about to fight. Think she'll win?" She asked with a sly smile towards the boy.

Kane merely shrugged as he continued to look at the arena.

 _'... Well that's not the reaction I was hoping for.'_ Karin thought with a frown.

Karin decided to let it go, for now at least. The boy was clearly not in a talkative mood.

* * *

Naruko Namikaze glanced up to where she knew Kakashi and Kane were seated, only to find Karin seated next to Kane as well.

Jealousy bubbled within her before she squashed it down.

 _'Karin knows how I feel. She wouldn't try anything.'_

Naruko gave a little wave to the three. Kakashi waved back calmy with an eye smile as Karin stood up and went wild, screaming encouragements towards her.

Kane just stared at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

Naruko frowned as she put her hand down dejectedly.

Something was seriously wrong with Kane.

Naruko's focus shifted as Gaara finally began his approach.

The redhead had a nasty, evil little smile on his face that made Narukos skin crawl.

She'd be delighted to wipe it off.

"Alright you two, you know the rules. Are you ready?" Genma asked.

Gaara said nothing as Naruko piped up "Hell yeah I'm ready, ttebayo!"

Genma glanced at Gaara, but he had eyes only for Naruko. He sighed as he performed the ceremonial chopping motion.

"Begin!"

As Genma jumped away, Naruko relaxed her stance and crossed her arms.

"Well?" She asked the sand user with a cocky grin.

"I'm going to kill you, Naruko Namikaze. _Mother demands it._ "

And the cork on Gaaras gourd went _'pop!'_ as sand began funneling out.

"You think so, huh? We'll see about that! I'm going to kick your ass, ttebayo!" Naruko yelled as she put her hands in a cross.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" And then there were fifteen of her.

The Naruko clones charged as the original stayed in place, crossing her arms once more.

She watched with calculating eyes as the sand quickly and easily disposed of all fourteen clones.

Gaara continued to smile that nasty smile at her, and then the sand launched in her direction.

"Wind Style: Air Bullets!" Naruko shouted as she spat several bursts of air at the sand. The air blasted into the sand and had no effect; the sand didn't even slow down.

 _'Uh Oh!'_

Naruko launched herself away as the sand descended. The sand quickly changed trajectory before once again racing towards her.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruko shouted as a clone appeared behind her before throwing her in a different direction just as the sand consumed the area.

Naruko landed on two feet and whipped out several kunai before throwing them at the still stationary Gaara.

Sand flew up to block the kunai as they got close, and Naruko smirked as the paper bombs attached to the kunai exploded.

Only to grimace as the smoke cleared to reveal the bombs had no effect; the sand protected Gaara from the explosions as well.

"Is that all, Naruko Namikaze?" Gaara said with an evil chuckle.

"Heh, not even close!" Naruko shouted as she clapped her hands together as if in prayer.

Naruko began to shout as she channeled Chakra throughout her body. The entire crowd was in awe at the display of sheer Chakra; it was literally flowing around her entire being.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruko shouted as a huge burst of smoke appeared, covering the entire arena from view.

As the smoke cleared, the arena was _filled_ with Naruko's.

"Let's see" One Naruko shouted.

"What you can do" Another shouted.

"About this!" The original shouted out with confidence as the Naruko's charged Gaara. Gaara for the first time held a different expression on his face; this one was of pure shock.

The sand began slamming Naruko's away one after another, until several Narukos threw punches at the wall all at the same time; shattering Gaara's first line of defense for the first time since he fought Rock Lee.

Gaara looked _furious_ as he slapped his hands together.

"SAND TSUNAMI!" Gaara screamed as his sand turned into a giant _wave_ that began consuming the huge number of Narukos.

Gaara's eyes widened in shock as he noticed four Narukos escape the wrath of his jutsu and begin closing in on him; two on his left, and two on his right.

And both sets holding a small, blue, spinning ball.

Gaaras sand came up to defend him as the four closed in on him.

"RASENGAN!" "RASENGAN!" The four Narukos screamed as they shoved the jutsu straight into his sand.

The next thing Gaara knew, he was flying through the air, his sand barely managing to catch him before he slammed into the arenas wall.

Gaara looked up; he should _not_ have used Sand Tsunami. He didn't have any sand prepared for the jutsu, so he quickly molded as much Chakra as he could handle before throwing it at the army of blondes. It was a panic move. Now, he felt drained.

Also, he felt strange.

 _Very strange._

Gaara's gaze broke away from the four Narukos standing near the middle of the arena to stare at his torso.

 _Why was his chest red?_

 _Was that blood?!_

 _ **His blood?!**_

Gaara screamed.

* * *

Kankuro stared in horror as Gaara was actually _bleeding_ , and his screaming was _not_ helping calm his nerves.

Kankuro glanced up into the stands where he knew Temari was sitting; the girl was already halfway down the wall.

Kankuro quickly jumped up and launched himself towards Gaara, ignoring the startled shouts and cries of the other Genin contestants as he did so.

* * *

Kakashi glanced up at the white feathers slowing falling from the sky.

"Kai!" He said quickly. He glanced over and found both Kane and Karin doing the same thing. They had noticed something was off, too; good. That made this easier.

"Kane, Karin. Something's going on. I need you two to head down to the arena and help Naruko. _Now!_ " Kakashi demanded as he took off, heading towards the location of the Hokage.

Right as a huge explosion shook the area, smoke filling where the two Kages were previously sitting.

* * *

Naruko quickly dissipated the Genjutsu trying to take hold of her with a quick 'Kai!' before staring in shock as Temari and Kankuro appeared, grabbing hold of Gaara and _taking off_ _._

"Hey! Get back here!" Naruko shouted as she began chasing after them. She gasped in surprise as she suddenly found herself facing the back of Genma, who was grappled with the Jounin sensei of the Sand trio.

"Naruko!" Naruko turned and found Kiba and Sasuke running at her.

"Naruko Namikaze, I'm afraid your Chunin Exams end here." Genma said with a serious voice as Naruko, Sasuke and Kiba turned their attention to the man.

"Your mission, as a Leaf Shinobi, is to find Gaara and _stop him_. He's a Jinchuriki; he holds a demon within him. I believe they plan to release that demon onto the village. _Don't_ let that happen. Go!" Genma demanded as he continued facing off against Baki.

The three nodded as they took off, following after Gaara.

"Oh no you don't!" Baki screamed as he ran after them, only to once again find Genma blocking his path.

* * *

"Shit! They're gone! What do we do?!" Karin shouted as Kane stared after them.

"We follow them." Kane spoke with a serious voice as he took off, Karin shouting at him to wait up as she chased after him.

* * *

"Damn! Gaara's in really bad shape! What do we do Temari?!" Kankuro asked as the two cradled Gaara and made their way outside of the Leaf Village.

"We protect him at all costs! That's our mission!" Temari spoke.

"Think those brats will follow us?!"

"There's not a doubt in my mind!"

That was _not_ what Kankuro wanted to hear.

* * *

" _Kane!_ Do you even know where we're going?!" Karin shouted as the two made their way out of the Leaf Village.

"Yes. I do." Kane said in all seriousness.

"How?!"

"I just do."

Kane wasn't sure _how_ , but Naruko caused Gaara to bleed, and Kane could _feel_ him running away.

Like a fish swimming through water.

* * *

"So, shall we begin, Minato-kun?" The Kazekage asked as he stood faced off against the Fourth Hokage.

"Take off your disguise and we shall, Orochimaru-san." Minato Namikaze demanded with narrowed eyes.

The Kazekage chuckled as he literally _ripped_ the skin off his face, revealing a pale, serpent-eyed man with dark hair.

"Hokage-sama!" Several Anbu, Kakashi Hatake and Might Gai appeared near the Fourth Hokage and surrounded Orochimaru.

"It's the end of the line, Orochimaru. It was foolish of you to come here." Kakashi said with his eye narrowed.

 _Why would Orochimaru come here, of all places, and alone?_

"Is it really?" Orochimaru snickered.

"Why are you here, Orochimaru-san?" Minato asked the snake affiliated man.

"My village, the Sound, has allied itself with the Sand village and declared war on the Leaf. Today, Konoha will know war once more." The man smirked a twisted smile at the large group of Leaf Shinobi.

"Yes, we already suspected as much. We've been on to you from the very beginning, Orochimaru-san." Minato responded.

"Always prepared, are you Minato-kun?" Orochimaru continued to smile as if he had already won.

"I'm well aware that you knew I was coming. In fact... I already know the outcome of this little farce of a war. Konoha will be victorious; the Sand and Sound will become crippled as a result of a devastating loss today." Orochimaru's voice slithered through all present, sending chills down even Kakashi and Gai's spines.

"If you know there is no chance of victory, why have you attacked us Orochimaru-san?" Minato asked curiously. Minato Namikaze may have disagreed with his methods, but he respected Orochimaru of the Sannin. He grew up with the man being one of the ninjas he strived to become like.

So for Orochimaru to do something so... pointless, confused Minato. It was the one thing he wasn't already aware of coming into today; Orochimaru's reasoning.

The man chuckled. "This is all just a show! Everything, from the war to my presence here.. _It's all for you, Minato-kun!"_

"What the hell are you on about, fiend?!" Might Gai spat. He _detested_ men like Orochimaru.

"I'm not even here. This body you see standing before you... It's not mine. It's just the body of some no name, worthless Chunin, henged to look like me. Right now, I'm far away from here. In fact, I'm not even in the village. Useful jutsu, is it not?" Orochimaru practically purred.

"Get to the point please, Orochimaru-san. Why have you attacked Konoha?" Minato demanded.

"For _you_ , Minato-kun! I've come to you to give you a warning..."

"A warning? What kind of warning?" One of the Anbu present demanded.

"Minatooo... You and I were in a race, once. A race to become Hokage. You defeated me, and earned the hat and sensei's favor... Now, I declare that you and I are once again racing against each other; only this time, I have a head start." Orochimaru laughed.

"What are we racing for, Orochimaru-san?"

"Why, _power_ , of course! You have become... complacent, since gaining your title and having a daughter, Minato-kun." Orochimaru glanced towards the center of the arena, where Naruko once stood.

"She has grown well." He commented.

Minato felt protectiveness swell within him, but he kept a calm outward appearance. "Yes, she has. You were saying, Orochimaru-san?"

"Kukuku... Minato-kun, I am here simply because I want to warn you. There are two toys I need to acquire. Once I acquire them both, I will come for the Leaf Village... and _destroy_ it."

Everyone tensed.

"However, I'm a generous person. It's no fun racing against someone when they don't even know they're part of the game." Orochimaru continued to smirk that vile smirk.

"Of those two toys I spoke of, I have recently acquired one of them. Now, I only need the last remaining piece of the puzzle before my victory is assured. You must kill me, Minato-kun, before I retrieve the final piece, or else it will be too late."

Minato Namikaze was unable to keep his stoic expression; he _gasped_ in shock and horror.

Minato Namikaze found himself staring into Orochimarus eyes.

His twin, triple-tomoed, Sharingan eyes.

* * *

End of Chapter 22.


	23. Chapter 23

"Kakashi! Where is Naruko?!" Minato asked in panic.

"She went after Gaara! The boy is going to release the Shukaku onto the village! I didn't have time to chase him down or stop Naruko, so I sent two others after her!"

" _Damnit!_ Fox! Dog! Crow! I want the three of you to go retrieve my daughter; _Now!_ " Minato roared as the three Anbu shunshined away.

Orochimaru hadn't been lying; he wasn't really here. As soon as several Anbu jumped the man, his face transformed into that of some random Sound Village Chunin. To make matters ever worse, the boy was dead.

Might Gai appeared then. "Hokage-sama! I received word; Jiraiya of the Sannin is currently doing battle with the three headed snake at the south gate! He has assured those nearby that he can handle it, and to leave it to him!"

Minato nodded, "I'm going to the west gate. Send anyone you can find to the east gate!" And the Fourth Hokage was gone with a flash of yellow.

* * *

"Sasuke! Kiba! When we reach Gaara, I want the two of you to take out Kankuro and Temari! I'll take care of Gaara." Naruko commanded as the trio continued tree hopping.

"Whatever you say, Idiot. Inuzuka, I'll take care of the girl; she's the bigger threat. Take out the puppet user." Sasuke commanded.

"Who put you in charge, Uchiha?!" Kiba snapped as Akamaru barked his agreement.

"It's just the only thing that makes sense; send the weakest team member after the weakest enemy."

"Screw you, Sasuke! Maybe I should take on the girl, and _you_ should fight the puppet user!"

" **Shut UP!** " Naruko snapped at the two, both going quiet at her uncharacteristic command.

"This isn't a game! Gaara has a _demon_ in him, and he's going to release it onto the village! We don't have time to argue! Kiba, do what Sasuke said and take out Kankuro! Sasuke take out Temari!" Naruko demanded as both boys nodded their agreement.

* * *

Kane and Karin were hopping between trees. Kane could still feel Gaara, and the two were slowly gaining on them.

When they reached Gaara, they'd reach Naruko, Sasuke and Kiba, too. Kane was sure of it.

"Kane! I can sense Naruko and two others up ahead!" Karin shouted at him.

 _'So Karin's a sensory type, too? Good to know.'_ Kane thought to himself. He pondered for a moment how far away Naruko and the others were. Karin is suddenly able to sense them, which meant she had a limit to how far she could detect Chakra signiatures.

Kane could still feel Gaara, and he was most likely still far ahead of Naruko's group.

He wondered just how far he could feel.

 _'I need to come up with some sort of term for this feeling...'_ Kane thought.

"Kane! There are two Chakra signiatures closing in on us, and _fast!_ To the right!" Karin suddenly shouted.

Kane and Karin came to an immediate halt and got into battle positions just as two Sound ninja appeared.

"Ah, see, this is perfect Heriko!" The taller Sound ninja said.

"Yes! Please let me take care of them, sensei! This will be my first true fight!" The shorter one announced.

 _'Sensei. Shit. That means the taller one is a Jounin.'_ Kane thought with panic.

Karin seemed to come to the same conclusion as she began backing away in fear.

"Please give me a good fight!" The smaller one, Heriko, requested as he bowed. Then he launched himself at Kane, kunai in hand.

Kane pulled out his own kunai and the two clashed. As his opponent went for a straight kick, Kane sidestepped before drawing his blade across the other boys stomach.

Heriko screamed in pain as he collapsed, and Kane inhaled deeply at suddenly being able to _feel_ the boys blood.

 _'If I just cause them to bleed, I can feel them!'_

"Damnit Heriko! This is why you'll never graduate and become a Genin!" The Jounin shouted.

 _What?_

 _'This... This kid isn't even a Genin?!'_ Kane felt sick.

"I'll show you how it's done." The man said as the next thing Kane knew, a fist was lodged deep within his gut.

Kane collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

" _KANE!"_ Karin screamed.

"Don't just _announce_ to your enemy that you're attacking, Heriko! You lose the element of surprise if you do that. Now look at you! You can barely stand!" The man lectured the boy as he slowly stood, hand on his wound.

"I get it, okay! Just... just let me kill him already." The boy said with anger shining in his eyes towards Kane. "I want to make him hurt!"

And then Kane felt a kunai pierce his stomach, and he screamed in agony.

"Yes, Heriko! Just like that! Show no mercy!" The Jounin laughed at Kanes cries.

"Yes, sensei! I'll make him scream!"

Kane screamed as the boy once again stabbed him; this time in the shoulder.

Then, the weight of the boy was lifted off of Kane as Karin tackled him to the ground. Karin quickly hopped off Heriko before jumping on Kane and shoving her arm onto the top of his lips.

"Bite me, Kane!"

Kane didn't hesitate to do just that.

As Kane began sucking on Karins Chakra, he felt his wounds closing.

"Lesson two, Heriko! Don't forget about your surroundings. You clearly forgot that there are _two_ enemies!"

"Yes, sensei! I will take the girl out as well!" Heriko nodded as he hopped to his feet.

As Kane continued sucking on Karin's chakra, his taste buds went _wild_ as something foreign and new appeared.

Karin's _blood_.

Suddenly, Kane felt better than ever. Better than before the fight began!

The best he's felt since his visit from Sabaku no Gaara.

Kane hopped to his feet as well, and stared Heriko down.

 _'I'm going to kill him.'_

As Heriko charged, Kane charged as well.

Kane was faster than before. Faster than he normally was. Faster than when he fought Kiba.

Faster than he'd ever been.

Heriko gasped in shock as Kane sidestepped the boy before literally _throwing_ him to the ground. Kane whipped out another kunai and was set to deal the finishing blow-

Until the Jounin kicked him away.

Kane rolled to his feet and glared at the Jounin, who was staring down at Heriko in disappointment.

 _'Shit... We're going to die, aren't we? I can't beat a Jounin, and Karin doesn't seem like the fighting type! We're never going to survive this!'_ Kane screamed internally.

"What is it with you, Heriko?! You begged me to bring you out here to gain real battle experience, and you're screwing it up! Are you still not over your fear of blood? It's just blood! Look!" And the Jounin sliced open his palm with a kunai.

Kane could feel the Jounin now, too.

As the man continued lecturing Kanes opponent, he focused on the feel of his blood. He remembered the body in the forest of death. He remembered how Kiba's skin turned red as he did the same thing to him that he did to the body in the forest.

Kane wondered what would happen if he did it to this Jounin.

"Look, watch closely, okay? I'm going to take it slow so you can follow. Watch my movements carefully, and you'll-" The man droned on and on as he slowly walked towards Kane.

Kane willed the mans blood to obey. He willed it to get warmer.

Warmer.

Warmer.

 _Warmer._

The man stopped in his tracks as he stared at Kane, his skin turning red as he began breathing heavily.

"Hah... Hah... What... What's..."

 _Warmer._

 _Warmer._

 _ **Warmer.**_

And the Jounin collapsed with a scream.

"STOP! STOP! WHATEVER IT IS YOU'RE DOING, FOR THE LOVE OF KAMI, STOP!" The man begged while screaming as he began cringing and twitching on the ground. Heriko and Karin looked on in horror as Kane focused solely on the feel of the mans blood.

 _ **Warmer.**_

 _ **Warmer.**_

 _ **WARMER.**_

And suddenly, with one final scream and one final twitch, the man stilled.

 _ **WARMER!**_

 _ **WARMER!**_

 _ **WARMER!**_

 _ **'Pop!'**_

Kane couldn't see it, but he _knew_ a small, miniscule bubble had appeared somewhere within the mans blood.

And popped.

Kane slowly walked closer to the Jounin as the two others in the area stood perfectly still.

Kane leaned down upon reaching him, and checked his pulse.

 _Nothing._

The man was dead.

Kane stared at the mans face for several seconds. This was his first kill. They said that there were those out there who become shattered and broken after taking their first life. Those that could never move passed the trauma.

Kane felt none of that.

Kane felt only _excitement and bloodlust._

Kane turned his gaze towards Heriko, who began trembling under his stare.

Without a word, Kane launched himself towards the boy.

" _Kane!_ _!_ " Karin's voice broke through the trance he found himself in, and Kane stopped just feet away from the trembling Heriko.

What had he been about to do, just now?

"Get the hell out of here." Kane snarled at the child who quickly took off.

Kane felt _amazing._ Never in his life had he felt so strong. Never in his life had he felt so in control. Never in his life had he felt so _good._

 _Never in his life had he felt so free._

"K-Kane?" Karin nearly whispered, afraid to break the tense silence.

Kane whirled around to face her and the girl recoiled at the sight of him.

Kane noticed her sudden fear. Her fear of _him._

Kane wondered what he must've looked like, to cause such a reaction from the girl.

"We need to find Naruko and the others." Kane said flatly, his high from adrenaline rush slowly fading away.

Karin nodded mutely, and the two were off once more.

Kane noted that he could no longer feel Gaara.

He hoped that was just because they had gotten further away, and not that Gaara had healed.

He was going to find Gaara, and settle this entire situation himself.

Not with a bang.

 _But with a_ _ **'Pop'**_ _!_

* * *

"What the hell is going on?!" Sasuke spoke with fear; something Naruko wasn't sure she'd _ever_ heard in his voice before.

Naruko couldn't even try to deny that she felt the same.

"I know, buddy... I... I know..." Kiba whispered to Akamaru as he trembled in fear, trying to calm the whimpering puppy.

" _ **NARUKO NAMIKAZE! MOTHER DEMANDS YOUR BLOOD!**_ _"_ Gaara screamed as his tail of sand waved around the air in excitement.

* * *

"Kane, there are three enemies approaching from straight ahead!" Karin yelled out as the two came to an immediate halt.

Kane had already known about two of them; he could _feel_ them.

The third was a surprise.

As three Sand Shinobi appeared in front of Kane and Karin, Kane wasted no time.

Almost instantly, the two that were obviously already wounded collapsed onto the ground with simultaneous cries as the unharmed one jumped away in shock.

In just several short, scream-filled seconds, the two ninja were dead.

Kane glared at the third Sand Shinobi, who trembled in fear at what he just witnessed.

And the Sand Shinobi turned around, and fled.

Karin looked like she was going to be sick as she kept glancing between the dead Sand ninja and Kane.

 _Kane had never felt so good._

* * *

Sasuke howled in pain as he was thrown back by a swipe of Gaara's tail, sending him careening through several trees.

"Sasuke!" Kiba shouted as he and Akamaru jumped after the boy.

 _ **"NAMIKAZEEEEE! WHY DO YOU NOT FIGHT ME YOURSELF?! WHERE IS THAT FIRE FROM BEFORE! SHOW ME THE GIRL WHO SUMMONED AN ARMY OF CLONES! SHOW ME THAT POWER!"**_ Gaara roared.

Naruko trembled. She couldn't defeat this guy! She _couldn't_! She'd already tried to summon the big boss toad, and she'd failed miserably! She was no match for him now!

 _ **"I'LL TAKE THAT POWER AND SHOVE IT INTO THE GROUND!"**_

* * *

"Naruko!" Karin screamed as she and Kane landed near the blonde.

Naruko whirled around to face the two.

"You shouldn't be here! Gaara's turning into his demon! You're not safe! _Get out of here!_ " Naruko begged as she turned back to face the nearly completely-covered-in-sand Gaara.

Karin gasped in shock and horror at the monster before her eyes.

Kane, on the other hand, only glared at Naruko's back.

 _'She thinks I'm nothing more than a burdem! A waste of space! Worthless! I'll show her... I'll show them all!'_ Kane thought with rage as he nearly saw red.

Kane had never been so angry.

He launched himself at the nearly transformed Jinchuriki.

"KANE!" Naruko's voice trailed off behind him.

 _ **"YEEEESSS! YES SANGUIS! COME TO ME! COME TO ME SO THAT I MAY PROVE MY EXISTENCE! YOU HAVE THE LOOK ONCE MORE! LET ME RIP YOUR EYES OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS AS I FORCE THE LIGHT TO FADE FROM THEM!"**_ The possessed Gaara screamed.

 _'I just need to cut him!'_ Kane screamed internally as he threw a kunai at the only visible skin Kane could see; his ankle.

Gaara smacked the kunai away with his new tail, before throwing his claw-like arm out and grabbing Kane. Then, he slammed Kane into a tree.

And Kanes world faded to black.

* * *

End of Chapter 23.


	24. Chapter 24

Kane hated the hospital. When he was younger, he used to grow ill more often than most kids. It got even worse when he was living on the streets, and although it helped once he moved into his apartment, he still found himself struck by illness more often than most kids.

So he found himself in the hospital. A lot. They didn't necessarily treat him unkindly, he just spent so much time there when he was younger that he grew to detest being trapped inside the buildings white tiles. Although, now that he was older and held more clarity on his 'situation', he was pretty sure they took longer to treat him than most.

That was why Kane didn't hesitate to make a quick escape out the window upon waking up.

 _'What happened?'_ Kane asked himself as he walked along the streets. The people were throwing him the usual glares, however it wasn't quite as frequent. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry for some reason.

 _'What happened at the Chunin Exams? Why did things get so chaotic so quickly?'_

Kane shrugged to himself. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he didn't care.

Upon entering his apartment, Kane grabbed his final cup ramen and began boiling water.

 _'I hate ramen.'_ He thought with a glare at the water as he waited for the water to boil.

He stared for several seconds before a thought dawned on him.

He focused on the water. Even a small pot filled with tap water was soothing to him. He focused on the feel of the water; on how cool it felt.

He willed it to get warmer.

And warmer, and warmer, and warmer.

 _ **'Pop!'**_

Kane kept going.

 _ **'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!'**_ The water began boiling, and he dumped his noodles and sauce inside. He waited a minute before grabbing the pan and pouring the noodles into the single bowl he owned.

As he sat on his mattress eating the ramen, he contemplated.

 _'I can make water boil, too. I wonder if I can make other things heat up, or if its just liquid... I've only ever had this strange connection with water and blood, so it's probably just that. What else can I do?'_

Kane thought back to his first kill, and he smiled.

 _'I know I should feel some sort of guilt, but I don't. He was going to kill me; kill Karin. I had to stop him. And... It felt good. I felt so strong.'_

Kane grimaced before taking another bite.

 _'That kid, Hemiko... I was going to murder him. In cold blood. Sure, he would've done the same thing, but... But I'm not like that.'_

Kane finished his ramen by drinking the juice from the bowl.

 _'Am I?'_

Kane stood up and placed the bowl upside down in the spot he always kept it. He grabbed the trash from the cup ramen and tossed it onto the floor. Right with the dozens of others.

Right on the glass remnants that were once called Jane.

He couldn't bring himself to bother taking the trash out anymore.

* * *

"You can't just leave without telling anybody! We thought something bad happened to you!" Naruko scolded as Kane just stared at her.

"I hate the hospital. I wanted to leave, so I left." Kane replied dryly.

Naruko looked taken aback and lost for words at his response. She bit her lip and began chewing on it for several seconds.

"You still should've told someone." She finally replied.

Kane rolled his eyes, "Sorry." He spoke with no real regret in his voice.

"Hey, Dead Last-"

Kane felt white hot fury course through him at the hated nickname.

"-you owe the Idiot a thank you." Sasuke spoke after Naruko walked away to speak with Kakashi-sensei.

"What? For what?" Kane snapped as his eyes narrowed at Sasuke.

"She saved your life, idiot. You were trapped by Gaara's claw made out of sand, and it was slowly tightening around your body. It was going to crush you, but the Idiot managed to defeat Gaara before it happened."

"Lucky me." Kane drawled out sarcastically.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "Look, she fought like hell for you, Kane. You weren't conscious. You didn't see. Naruko did what none of us could've ever hoped to do; she beat that monster. And she did it for you."

Kane said nothing as he continued to glare at Sasuke.

Sasuke sighed and his face relaxed, "Look, I don't know what your deal is. You've been in a bad mood since you woke up, but Naruko and I, we're here for you if you want to talk. Kakashi too, for that matter."

"I'm fine." Kane spoke monotonously.

"We're a team, Kane. You need to talk to us." Sasuke narrowed his eyes again.

"I said I'm fine." Kane snapped.

"Have it your way." Sasuke walked away with that.

Kane turned and stared at Naruko, who was still engaged in conversation with Kakashi-sensei, his thoughts rolling around through his head in complete turmoil.

* * *

Kane walked around the streets of Konoha, ignoring the withering glares he received.

 _'I guess Sasuke meant what he said about trying to be a better teammate. Last time I so much as glared at him, he nearly took my head off.'_

Kane glared at the ground as he continued to walk on autopilot.

 _'I'd like to see him try. I'm not weak anymore; I took down a Jounin! I even took out those two other Sand ninja, and I don't even know what they were! They could've been Jounin too! I'd like to see Sasuke take on a Jounin!'_

Kane paused, remembering his fight with Kiba in the Chunin Exam Preliminaries.

 _'If... If I had been just a few seconds faster... I would've killed Kiba, wouldn't I?'_ Kane felt dread at the thought. He may not like Kiba, but he didn't want to _kill_ the guy.

And yet, here he was, contemplating using the same technique on Sasuke should they fight.

 _'I... I need to learn more about this technique before I go using it on allies. I'm a loose cannon right now... Imagine if I seriously hurt Sasuke.'_

Kane paused for a moment, _'Imagine if I hurt Naruko.'_

Kane continued on his merry way.

He wanted to hate Naruko. He wanted to hate her _so much_.

But he couldn't.

Kane would admit, at least to himself, that he'd harbored feelings for the girl for a long time. He didn't know how long, but he knew it was the truth. Despite how much he wished it weren't true.

No matter how much he wanted to, Kane couldn't bring himself to hate her.

That didn't mean he wasn't angry.

Ever since Gaara left his apartment, Kane has been angry.

 _So, so angry._

He didn't understand. Why would the Fourth Hokage do this? Why would he sacrifice Kane just to keep pressure off of Naruko?

Because she was his daughter.

But, if the entire village knew that the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi was the Fourth Hokage's _daughter,_ their _princess_ , wouldn't they have been more likely to accept her? Surely the village wouldn't treat _Naruko_ the same way they treated him!

Right?

Kane wasn't sure.

And it was for that very reason that Kane understood the Hokage's decision.

Kane couldn't bring himself to hate Naruko; it was as much her choice as it was his own, he knew.

Besides.

Kane had a different outlet for his anger.

Kane stopped and glared hatefully at the rock monument of the Fourth Hokage overlooking the village.

* * *

"What?" Kane asked in shock as Naruko stood before him, huge grin on her face as she showed off the Chunin vest she was wearing. Sasuke stood behind her slightly, wearing his very own vest as well.

"We got promoted!" Naruko cheered as Kakashi eye smiled at the girl from behind Kane.

"It's so exciting! I wonder what kind of missions we'll go on now?! The best part is; no more D-Ranks!" Naruko yelled out in glee as Sasuke smirked, clearly in agreement with the last part.

"Idiot, we have to report to your dad right away now that we've got our vests." Sasuke drawled.

"Oh! Right! Sorry, guys! Gotta go!" Naruko said with a quick wave as the two took off, Kakashi waving back heartily.

Kane slowly turned towards his sensei.

"What does this mean for me, Kakashi-sensei?" Kane asked with no emotion in his voice.

Kakashi stared at Kane for several long seconds.

"Team 7 is technically over. You won't be partnered with them anymore; they won't even be partnered with each other, although I expect Hokage-sama will give them missions together for a while to get them used to being Chunin."

"So with Team 7 gone, what does it mean for me?" Kane repeated himself.

"Well, you and I will probably go on the occasional mission together; don't worry, we won't be doing D-Ranks anymore. The whole point of them is to teach teamwork, and you no longer have a team. Neji Hyuuga of Team Gai was also promoted, which means Team Gai has an open position. You'll likely be placed with them sometime in the next few weeks, and then you'll go back to doing D-Ranks."

Kane turned and stared off into the direction Sasuke and Naruko ran off, eyes vacant.

"Don't worry, I had a feeling this might happen. For the next few weeks, until you get placed on Team Gai, you and I are going to do some solo training for a while. You'll have my undivided attention." Kakashi said with an eye smile down at the boy.

Kane couldn't bring himself to care.

All he knew, is that once again, Naruko and Sasuke were leaving him behind.

As always.

* * *

 _ **'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!'**_

The water floating above Kanes head continued to boil as Kane read the same book on D-Ranked Water Ninjutsu he'd read a thousand times before.

He threw the book across the room, not caring where it landed.

"Ridiculous. I can make water float above my head. bring it to a _boil_ , and do all of this with no hand signs and negligible Chakra consumption. And yet I can't even perform the simplest of Water Ninjutsu." Kane spoke aloud in frustration.

 _ **'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!' 'Pop!'**_

Kane stared at the water before casually reaching up and poking a finger into it.

 _"OUCH!"_ Kane yelled as he quickly pulled his hand to his chest.

 _'Note to self: not immune to boiling water.'_ he thought with a dry chuckle.

Kane glanced around the library as he began sucking on his burnt finger.

This was his sanctuary.

His library.

The only place in the world he felt safe and relaxed and comfortable.

His home.

And yet, as he looked around, he saw it for what it truly was for perhaps the first time in his life.

Just a regular building filled with books.

Kane noticed that he'd begun looking at everything differently ever since his little chat with Gaara. The world seemed... Grayer. Like there was less life and less color involved in the things he once found enjoyment in.

The only thing that stayed the same was the cooling sensation water gave him.

Kane jumped a little as lightning struck above, the sound of the thunder reverberating around the buildings empty halls.

 _'Heh, speaking of which...'_

Kane watched in fascination as the rain began pouring down. It was the first time it had rained in Konoha in months, the last time being the cause of him discovering his abilities.

Kane sucked in a deep breath as he could _feel_ the water begin pouring down from the sky.

He could feel every drop as it landed on the earth, the sidewalks, the roofs.

Everything the water touched, Kane became aware of its presence and location.

It... It was too much.

Kane's head started spinning.

And he fell off his chair and onto the floor.

* * *

Kane glared as he sat before the Fourth Hokage.

Last night he passed out during the thunderstorm, and was promptly found in the morning by the library attendees. Normally he would've been long gone by the time they arrived; however it's not as if he chose to be there.

The Uchiha Police Corps member that was normally stationed blocking the restricted section promptly brought him to Ibiki Morino for questioning, custody and punishment.

Thankfully, Kane was still a kid. He was only twelve and barely a Genin. Because of this, his punishment for breaking into the library was to be decided by the Fourth Hokage.

Kane decided he'd have preferred Ibiki.

"It's alright, Kane. I've known about your nightly visits to the library for a long time, and I know you're aware that I know." Minato said with a small, disarming smile at the boy.

Kane said nothing as he continued to glare.

 _Traitor._

"Unfortunately, Ibiki informed me that you also had a book from the restricted section on your person..."

 _Liar._

"I know you've been going to the restricted section too, and I don't have a problem with it. However rules are rules... You have to get permission from me directly before being allowed in. You have to have clearance."

 _Two-timer._

"So I'm going to have to give you some sort of punishment, Kane. How about community service? Today is Wednesday... On Friday, go see Mrs. Takanashi. She and several others will be at the East Gate, helping rebuild some of the damage caused by the War. Ask her how you can be of help, and do whatever she says for the day."

 _Double-crosser._

"After that, you're free to go. Also, from now on, I'll grant you clearance into the restricted section, so don't worry about this happening again." Minato said with a smile towards the boy.

"Can I go?" Kane snapped.

Minato looked taken aback before slowly nodding.

"Yes, you can go."

Kane was gone within seconds.

* * *

End of Chapter 24.


	25. Chapter 25

Kane hadn't ever given much thought to the fish in the river. Their presence neither comforted nor bothered him; they were just there. A constant.

Now, they had his sole attention. Kane picked out a specific fish that was alone and close to Kanes position from atop the bridge. He watched the fish gently swam around; no true purpose in its movements, just another creature living life.

His eyes narrowed as he focused on the feel of the water around the fish.

He willed the water to grow warmer. Not the entire river, just the area around the fish.

As the water quickly grew to an uncomfortable temperature, he could feel the distress from the fish. It began moving frantically, trying its hardest to swim away from the uncomfortable heat.

And as the fish moved towards cooler waters, Kane willed it to begin heating, too.

The water was not boiling; not even close. And yet, it was too hot for the fish to survive in. Kane felt the moment the fish succumbed to the heat; the moment it stopped trying to escape.

And then, the fish began slowly rising towards the surface. Kane continued to focus on it, no longer bothering to heat the water, and watched as the fish submerged to the rivers surface, gently floating downstream. Dead.

Kane smiled to himself. He was getting better at this! He didn't need any help. He didn't need Kakashi-sensei, or Sasuke, or even Naruko. He didn't need Team 7. He didn't need anybody!

He didn't need Konoha.

He could figure this out on his own. Just like always.

Kane would grow; he would master his strange abilities, and he would become a true Shinobi. He wouldn't let the others continue to leave him in the dust.

He would become _strong_.

* * *

"I told you, I can't do it." Kane rolled his eyes in annoyance as Kakashi-sensei frowned at him.

"Keep trying." And he went back to reading his Icha Icha.

Kane sighed in annoyance as he once again began attempting to perform D-Ranked Water Ninjutsu at the lake. Kakashi-sensei was determined to get him to learn it, but Kane saw it as a futile effort. He'd spent a lot of time trying to do this on his own, and nothing Kakashi-sensei told him was something he hadn't already thought about or tried.

Really, he'd rather be practicing his Kekkei Genkai.

Kane had finally decided he would call it that. A Kekkei Genkai. He didn't have the 9 tails, he thought bitterly, and according to Karin he _was_ part of a clan, so it was what he finally decided to accept his strange powers as.

Kane still hadn't told Kakashi-sensei about his Kekkei Genkai. He hadn't told anybody. Why should he? It was none of their business, as far as Kane was concerned.

Maybe Kakashi-sensei could help him learn how to use it, but he still refused to tell the man.

So, here he was, practicing D-Ranked Water Ninjutsu once again; only this time he had somebody _else_ to be disappointed in his lack of progress.

Kane rolled his eyes at the thought as he continued to fail at his training.

He found he no longer cared what Kakashi-sensei thought.

As soon as this farce of a lesson was over, Kane would go home and continue practicing on his own. He wouldn't allow himself to fall even further behind; he would keep training until he became strong on his own merit.

* * *

Kane smiled up at the water above the table. He'd grown quite good at this, he liked to think.

The water was split into four different blobs around the size of his head. The first blob was doing nothing; it was simply floating.

The second was warmer than the others, but not too warm. Kane was able to stick his hand into it without feeling any pain.

The third blob was boiling, consistent _**'Pop!'**_ s echoing around the library.

The fourth blob was doing _all three_. One portion of it was cool, one was warm, and the other was boiling.

Kane could cause the water to go from cool to boiling in less than three seconds. He was confident this ability would become useful later. How exactly he wasn't sure, but surely there was a use for this.

If only he could use Water Ninjutsu. It could be quite deadly to add _boiling_ water into all of those jutsu.

But, he couldn't. Kane accepted this is fact; he _couldn't_ use Water Ninjutsu. Instead, Kane would focus all of his time and energy on figuring out what he _could_ do, and working on that instead.

Like he was doing right now.

Kane smiled as the four blobs began circling each other in the air, and then quick a quick dash the four connected to each other, forming one large body of water. Well, large compared to what they were when separated at least.

It was quite interesting to feel multiple different layers of competing temperatures all interconnected.

Kane willed the entire body of water to cool down, and within three seconds the water was entirely cool.

Kane dropped it on his head, soaking himself.

And then willed all of it back into the air.

Can fixed his somewhat messed up, albeit dry, hair with his hand as he smiled.

He could will the water to cool down, however Kane had learned that he couldn't will it to get _colder_ than it originally was. Only warmer. He wasn't sure why.

Kane glanced at the main desk that the lady who worked at the library every day normally sat at. The woman had worked here for years; in fact, she was the same one who booted Kane out of the building over half a decade ago.

Kane launched the water at her desk, completely soaking the wood and chair.

He knew that by the time the woman returned, it would be dry once more. She most likely wouldn't even realize what he did.

It still felt good, though.

* * *

Kane paused as he dropped several cup ramen into the cabinet. Today was Friday. He suddenly remembered exactly _why_ Kakashi-sensei wasn't metting up with him today.

He was supposed to go to the west gate and help Mrs. Takanashi and the workers with rebuilding and fixing damage in the area.

He scoffed as he closed the cabinet.

As if he was actually going to go.

* * *

He cringed as he gently rubbed the cut along his arm. Kane had always been a slow healer, so he was reluctant to _intentionally_ bring any form of harm onto himself. However, Kane had nothing else to do. He was wide awake and completely free for the day, seeing as how he was ditching his 'punishment', but now he was bored. He couldn't go to the library, Kakashi-sensei wasn't training him, and he didn't want to try practicing his abilities by the river in broad daylight where anybody could see him.

So, he decided he'd just practice with his blood, instead.

Kane decided he didn't like using his blood. It felt plain, boring, whereas the water always felt calming and pleasurable. Kane felt gross when he manipulated blood; what kind of freak manipulated blood?!

Kane supposed he could use tapwater, however ever since gaining his Kekkei Genkai he'd come to realize just how disgusting the water in this apartment was. It was filthy, and he hated both drinking it in his cup ramens and manipulating it.

He'd done it once, but all he'd done was bring the water to a boil. He didn't correlate boiling the water with actually controlling it; the feelings the water caused him had come long before he realized he could heat it up. It wasn't the same. At least, that's what he told himself. So Kane wouldn't manipulate the tap water.

He refused to.

Kane wouldn't sully the only good thing going for him right now by using it on such a disgusting source. Really, it wasn't that bad, Kane tried telling himself. He'd been drinking the water since he was six, and nothing bad had ever happened to him, as far as he knew.

Still, he refused to do it. He may be willing to continue using the water in his cup ramen and drinking it, but he wouldn't manipulate it.

So, Kane was left with one option. His blood.

Kane watched as the blood flowed through the air, the same motions as water.

After doing this for some time, Kane noticed the feel of the blood was... harsher. It was more difficult to control. It felt murkier; like water from a swamp compared to water from a clean river. It was thicker and heavier.

It wasn't fresh, Kane realized.

Blood dried up quickly when it left the body, and that was exactly what was happening right now.

So, Kane tried heating the blood up.

And suddenly, the blood felt normal again.

 _'So I can keep the blood fresh, as if I just recently cut it out, just by heating it up.'_

It was a chore, constantly having to heat it up, but at least it seemed he had a built-in solution to the problem, and it's not like he really felt the loss of Chakra all that much.

 _'You know, I still haven't figured out exactly how much water... or blood... I can manipulate at a time. Really, it almost feels like there's no limit with how little Chakra it uses...'_

Kane watched as the now fresh-feeling blood continued to float through the air.

 _'I should probably figure that out.'_

* * *

After several hours, Kane heard a knock on his door. Before he could even stand up, the door opened, and in walked Kakashi-sensei.

"Sure, come on in." Kane said with annoyance. Thank _Kami_ he wasn't in the middle of manipulating his blood through the air anymore. _That_ would be hard to explain.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow at Kane.

Kane glared at the man. When had he started glaring at everyone? After he learned the truth, he supposed. Kane knew he was much more hostile these days, but he couldn't bring himself to fix his attitude.

"So is there a reason you just barged into my apartment?"

"Is there a reason you didn't go help Mrs. Takanashi today?" Kakashi fired back.

Kane imitated Kakashi by raising one of his own eyebrows.

"I didn't feel like it." Kane snipped.

Kakashi's eye narrowed.

"Have a seat, Kane. I think we need to have a little chat."

Kane glared harshly at the man.

"No." he spoke with finality.

Kakashi genuinely looked surprised at his refusal, "No?"

"No. You're not my guardian; I don't even have one. You're just my sensei. I don't have to listen to you, you can't just order me around." Kane spoke spitefully.

Kakashi sighed, "Kane, I'm worried about you. So are Naruko and Sasuke. Naruko keeps asking about you; even Sasuke has come to me more than once to voice his concerns. Talk to me, Kane. Tell me what's wrong." Kakashi said gently, disarmingly, and with a slight plea in his voice.

Kane only glared in response.

"No. There's nothing wrong, I just want to be left alone."

Kakashi's eye spoke of great sadness, "The Fourth Hokage wants to see you first thing tomorrow. You can explain to him why you skipped out on your duty."

Kane continued to glare.

"Get out of my apartment."

With a final sigh, Kakashi left.

* * *

Kane decided he seriously needed to build a lock.

He wasn't stupid, or at least he liked to think he wasn't. He knew the saying "fool a ninja once, he's as good as dead. Fool him twice..." and he liked to think he didn't fall for the same tricks over and over again.

It's not like it was his choice to not have a lock on his door; he'd just never had one. He couldn't afford to have one built in, and he had no clue _how_ to install one even if he did manage to steal everything he needed to do so.

So, really, it's not like he was being _fooled_ by not having a lock, he just didn't have one.

That's what he told himself, at least.

So there he was, finding for the _third_ time, that not having a lock could be quite detrimental.

A quick knock at the door, and by the time he stood up the door was open.

"I already told you Kakashi, I want to be left-"

Kane stopped talking as two men he didn't know entered his apartment.

If you could even call the tall one a man.

 _'Well, that's definitely not Kakashi.'_

Kane felt fear engulf him as he found himself staring at a large, blue fish-man with a shark-like gaze and a shorter, black haired man staring him down with triple-tomoed Sharingan eyes.

Both were wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them.

* * *

End of Chapter 25.


	26. Chapter 26

The three stared at each other in complete silence.

"What are we doing here, Itachi?" The shark man asked the other.

 _'Itachi?'_ Kane knew that name.

This was Sasuke's elder brother.

 _'I'm going to find Itachi, and bring him home.'_ Sasuke's voice echoed in Kane's mind.

"We're not ready to take the Nine Tails yet. What exactly are we doing here?" the blue man continued, throwing a suspicious look towards Itachi.

"I'll explain later, Kisame. Right now, I need to focus." Itachi said without ever taking his eyes off Kane. Slowly he took several steps forward, and Kane tensed.

"Kane Sanguis. Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune." Itachi droned monotonously.

Kane didn't feel safe. Not in the slightest; Itachi was a registered killer, despite what Sasuke said. And his companion didn't look so nice, either.

And yet, instead of feeling fear, Kane only felt _anger_.

"Yup, that's me. Can I help you? If not, get the hell out." Kane snapped.

All three ninja, even Itachi, looked surprised at Kane's words.

Maybe he should've kept his mouth shut.

"Hohoho! Feisty little guy, eh Itachi?" Kisame guffawed.

"Quiet, Kisame. I need to focus." Itachi stared Kane in the eyes.

Kane glared right back.

It was a poor decision.

" _Tsukuyomi!"_ Itachi whispered as his eyes spun into the shape of a star.

* * *

Kane could see nothing but darkness and a red sky with small, black clouds. A red moon was shining in the distance, leaving a red glow across the blackened world. He found himself tied up to a cross, unable to move.

"Where... Where am I?"

"You're in my world, now. This is the world of Tsukuyomi." Itachi spoke as he materialized in front of Kane.

"Here, in this world, its space, time and substance are all controlled by me." Itachi continued as Kane looked around.

"What do you want from me?" Kane asked.

"Me? Nothing. It's what the Akatsuki wants." Itachi replied.

"Akatsuki?"

"Akatsuki is a large group filled with S-Ranked Missing Ninja from across the elemental nations. Our goal is to collect all nine of the Biju." Itachi continued.

"So that's it, then? You want the Kyuubi?"

"Precisely."

Kane glared at the man. Typical. Everything _always_ came back to that damned demon.

"Akatsuki is not ready to take the biju from you. Not yet."

"Then why are you here?" Kane asked in confusion.

"To confirm something... And to warn you."

"Warn me?"

"About the Akatsuki. In approximately three years, Akatsuki will mobilize, and we will take the biju. By force, if necessary. Each container will have their biju extracted from them, and they will die during the process."

Kane felt a lump in his throat.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"As I said, to warn you. Take this knowledge, Kane Sanguis, and inform either the Hokage or Jiraiya of the Sannin. Speak of this, and my involvement, to nobody else." Itachi ordered.

Kane scoffed internally.

There was no way he would go to the Hokage.

"You didn't really answer my question. Why are you telling me this? Aren't you a member of this 'Akatsuki'?"

Itachi took several steps closer and placed two fingers atop Kanes forehead.

"Rest now, Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails. I am going to explore your mind for a while, until I find what it is that I seek. I can't have you waking up; my partner is already suspicious enough of my actions. Remember; only the Hokage or Jiraiya." Itachi said as his voice slowly faded away.

* * *

Kane opened his eyes to the familiar sight of a white ceiling.

Kami, but he hated the hospital.

"You're awake."

Kane slowly sat up to see Kakashi sitting in a chair in front of the bed.

"What happened?" Kane asked the cyclops.

"I was hoping you could tell me that, actually. You didn't report to the Hokage like I told you, so he sent me to retrieve you. Imagine my surprise when I find you passed out in the middle of your apartment."

Kane considered this for a moment, "How long was I out?"

"Two days, give or take a few hours."

"And... You don't know what happened to me?"

Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow, "No. We were hoping you could explain when you awoke."

Kane said nothing.

"Well?" Kakashi probed.

"I don't know. I went to sleep that night, and now here I am."

Kakashi stared for several second, "I see. You're lying, but that's fine. Perhaps you'll be more talkative when the Fourth arrives. I'll go fetch him now." Kakashi said as he slowly stood up and made his way towards the door.

The moment the door clicked shut, Kane was out of bed and prying open the window.

* * *

"I told you, I don't know." Kane spoke with finality from his seat in front of the Hokage's desk.

Minato sighed before giving Kane a disarming smile.

"Alright, Kane. I'll stop asking... But we still need to discuss your little game of hookie you decided to play on your punishment."

"I felt sick." Kane lied through his teeth immediately.

Minato raised a single eyebrow, "Of course you did."

Minato rifled through several stacks of papers in front of him, before finally glancing back towards Kane.

"This Friday you will report to Mrs. Takanashi like you were supposed to do last week. I'll make an exception for your absence this time, seeing as how you just woke up from a two day nap."

Kane only nodded.

"Also, try not to leave the hospital so quickly upon waking up. You need to be checked out first; it complicates things for the hospital staff when their patients run off like that."

 _'Good.'_ Kane thought vindictively.

"You may go." Minato dismissed as he began reading through one of the folders he extracted. Kane got up and made his way for the door, Minato's voice stopping him just before he exited.

"And Kane?" Kane turned to face the Hokage.

He stared at Kane with a harsh look on his face, "You _will_ go see Mrs. Takanashi this Friday."

Kane had to suppress a shiver as he nodded slowly.

* * *

A group of S-Ranked Missing Ninja were going to hunt him down in three years, kill him, and extract his biju.

Kane couldn't even bring himself to be upset about it. Just another drop in the bucket as far as he was concerned.

He watched from his seat in the library as the boiling water spun in a circle above him, forming a ring shape.

Kane learned from the Fourth Hokage's questioning that they really did have _no_ clue why he was knocked out at his place.

Two S-Ranked, Missing Ninja, one of whom is a Missing Ninja from _Konoha_ , literally waltzed right into the village, came into his apartment and knocked him out.

And then they left.

And Konoha doesn't have a _clue_.

That didn't sit well with Kane in the slightest. Clearly, he wasn't safe here. As soon as the Akatsuki want to take him; _they will_.

Kane needed to be able to protect himself. He needed to grow stronger.

And _fast_.

How, though? He was still one of the weakest of the Rookie 9, topping only Sakura and Ino.

Well, he figured he was probably stronger than Choji and Shikamaru now that he could burn someone from the inside out if he managed to injure them. Kiba too, probably.

Still, he was weak. If Someone like Kiba or Shino were to go all-out on him from the very beginning, Kane doubted he'd ever land a single blow on them; let alone against Naruko or Sasuke.

Kane needed to train. He had three years; _tops_. He probably had less.

Well, he had less if they decided to waltz right back into the village and just snatch him, that is. He was a sitting duck at this point.

Kane paused, the water stopping its little dance as a thought occurred to him.

 _'What if... What if I left?'_

The water began spinning once more.

* * *

"So you really don't know what happened?" Naruko asked Kane with a small frown on her face, Sasuke standing beside her. The two of them were wearing their Chunin vests, and the sight of the outfits caused an uneasy feeling to settle in Kanes belly.

"Nope. Not a clue." Kane replied dryly.

"Hn. The Idiot and I came to see you while you were knocked out. We would've stayed; well, Naruko would've stayed at least, but we had a mission."

"Yeah that's right! It was our third C-Rank since becoming Chunin!" Naruko beamed.

The uneasy feeling tightened.

"We're _supposed_ to be heading out on our fourth right now, but Idiot here insisted we come check on you." Sasuke said.

"Well, I'm fine, as you can see." Kane responded without emotion.

"Yeah... We should get going, but... I'm glad you're okay, Kane." Naruko said with a disappointed smile. Sasuke gave him a nod, and the two were off.

The moment they were out of sight, Kane allowed a scowl to overtake his features.

 _'Hope they're having fun, going out on C-Ranks while I sit here getting attacked by S-Ranked Missing Ninja who plan on murdering me. Oh, Sasuke, by the way I ran into your brother. He's one of the ones that's going to kill me.'_

Really, Kane thought, he shouldn't be surprised.

 _'I'm just an idiot. I need to quit feeling so freaking sorry for myself, and get the hell over it. This is how its always been, and how it always will be. It's time to grow the hell up and accept it.'_

Well, it wasn't _quite_ the same as always. He wasn't necessarily used to having S-Ranked ninja barge into his apartment...

It was the same as always, just more extreme.

* * *

Really - Kane thought with an amused grin, his mouth fool of noodles - his apartment had seriously become trashed.

He tossed another empty ramen cup onto the floor. Dozens were scattered all over the place, and Kane could actually see a bug inside the one in the far corner.

Hey, more power to them.

Keeping the place clean had never gotten rid of them anyway.

Kane felt a sort of sick satisfaction at the travesty that was his home. This place was a gift to him from the Fourth Hokage. Seeing it now, worse than ever before, brought Kane a twisted form of pleasure at the thought that he was spitting on the Fourth's gift to him.

Really, some gift it was.

Kane has always viewed this apartment as a godsend; sure, it was infested and run down, but it was _his_. It was the first gift he ever recieved, and it was _his_.

Now, he didn't care so much for it.

Minato Namikaze was the _Hokage_. Why the hell had he given him such a shitty apartment?! It made no sense! He could've easily given him a nice place to call his own!

He wasn't a bad guy. Kane may have come to hate the man, but Minato Namikaze was _not_ a bad person. He was a kind individual, anyone who met him could see that.

So why did it feel like he had done Kane so _dirty_?

Because he had, technically. He had the moment he declared Kane the Jinchuriki. Still, Kane couldn't truly comprehend why such a gentle-hearted man would do such seemingly cruel things to a young, parentless child.

 _'Does it really matter anymore? What's done is done.'_ Kane told himself.

His whole life, Kane has asked the question 'Why?'. Why did the village hate him? Why was he treated like dirt? Why was he chosen to be the Jinchuriki? Why was he chosen to be the scapegoat for the real Jinchuriki?

Never has he come up with a good answer to the question 'Why'. Not once.

So it was time to stop asking 'Why' and start asking 'What?'.

As in, _What_ can Kane do to make things better?

He was done being pushed around.

* * *

Kane knew it shouldn't be too hard to find Jiraiya of the Sannin. The man was still in the village, and really if he just spent a day sitting near the women's hot springs he was bound to run into him at some point.

The problem was, Kane hadn't tried looking for the man at all.

Itachi Uchiha told him to inform the Hokage or Jiraiya about Akatsuki. To pass the message on.

Why the hell should he?

Kane was the one that was in danger, and he already knew everything there was to know now. Telling Jiraiya about Akatsuki wouldn't help _him_ at all, it would help _Jiraiya_.

And why would he care about that?

Really, Kane figured telling Jiraiya about Akatsuki could be detrimental to himself, not helpful. If he told Jiraiya, he'd tell the Fourth. If the Fourth found out, he'd probably put Kane under constant watch or something... He didn't want that. He already had to wait until the middle of the night just to go to the library or practice his Kekkei Genkai. The last thing he wanted was a _babysitter_ , too.

He'd just keep this little tidbit of information to himself.

The problem was, he still didn't have a clue how he was going to train for an S-Ranked enemy ninja that could show up at his doorstep anytime they felt like it.

The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got at his situation. He didn't want Konoha finding out he had a Kekkei Genkai; it would cause too many problems. He didn't want Konoha finding out he had a bunch of S-Ranked Missing Ninja after him; it would cause too many problems. He had nobody to ask for help regarding his issues with Elemental Jutsu or how to practice with his Kekkei Genkai; asking for help would cause _too. Many. Problems._

Kane felt like he was suffocating.

He hated living here. Everywhere he went people glared at him and talked behind his back because he supposedly contained a demon that was _actually_ inside Naruko.

Kane felt jealousy and anger boil in his chest at remembering the sheer praise the villagers have been throwing at Naruko. The whole village was told about how she single-handedly defeated Gaara, who apparently turned _into_ the Shukaku. Naruko was a hero, a true daughter of Minato, the future Hokage; these were just a few of the countless praises she was being showered with.

Him? He was treated like dirt.

 _'You know, one of these days I'm going to stop feeling sorry for myself.'_ Kane thought bitterly with his anger being redirected towards himself.

Being sad and upset about his situation has _never_ solved anything. It was time to quit feeling sorry for himself. It was time to grow up and better himself. It was time to become a true Shinobi.

And so, Kane Sanguis decided it was time for a change.

It was time to leave Konoha.

* * *

End of Chapter 26.


	27. Chapter 27

It was the middle of the night before Wednesday morning. Kane found himself once again at the library, looking at a map of the Elemental Nations. Kane realized that he couldn't simply 'Waltz right on out of Konoha'. Even if he _weren't_ the Jinchuriki of the 9 Tails, it's not as simple as getting up and walking right out through the gates.

 _'Even if I weren't a Jinchuriki... Hah, the irony.'_ Kane thought with a chuckle.

Well, technically it _was_ as simple as getting up and walking out of the gates... The problem was that Konoha, like the other four great villages, kept tabs on every person that came in and out of the village. There was no way he'd be allowed to just walk right on out. He'd need to henge as somebody that the village could care less about leaving, and he knew it probably wouldn't take long for the village to figure out what he'd done.

First things first; Kane needed a destination. Where the hell was he going to go? If his plan was to just walk right on out the gate and see what happens, Kane doubted he would survive very long. Someone bigger and stronger than him would almost certainly come along, and then he was done for.

The only thing Kane knew for sure is that he had to get out of Fire Country. If he stayed, not only was he within Konoha's jurisdiction but it wouldn't be long until he came across Anbu or Jounin out on a mission that recognized him. The entire village knew who he was, after all.

Kane wasn't stupid. He knew he also couldn't just walk right into another hidden village... Missing Ninja as a whole were capture or kill on sight by all Shinobi villages, and that's what he was going to be. Villages loved to flaunt their superiority by presenting other villages Missing Ninja to them practically gift wrapped. Not to mention that there was almost always a bounty, too. And those were the _lucky_ ones. If you were a Missing Ninja with any sort of value (Bloodline, Status, etc.) _or_ had potentially useful information, sometimes the village wouldn't even return you. They'd just keep you. Forever.

When you became a Missing Ninja of one Village, you became a Missing Ninja of _every_ village.

 _'Me... A Missing Ninja...'_ The thought was surreal. It felt like a dream; as if he were just a child playing at the park, pretending to be a ninja.

 _'Kane Sanguis... Missing Ninja... Somehow, it doesn't seem appropriate.'_

Kane shook the thought from his head. He needed to focus!

The next thing Kane considered was should he enter one of the other four major countries... He could enter Earth Country, Lightning Country, Wind Country or Water Country. Each one had its own benefits and drawbacks. Mostly drawbacks.

Earth Country to the northwest would be the second hardest to hide at, and the Hidden Rock Village was perhaps the harshest when it came to Missing Ninja, especially ones from other villages... Kane decided he would avoid Earth Country for sure.

Lightning Country to the northeast was the furthest country from Konoha, which was a plus, however he wouldn't get very deep into the country. Almost immediately upon entering the country, you ran right into the Hidden Cloud Village. If he could get passed the village he'd be golden, but Kane wasn't delusional enough to think he could manage that.

Wind Country to the west and southwest was the largest, but would be the hardest place to hide. Most of the country was pure desert, and Kane decided this wouldn't be a good place to go simply because it would be so easy for Konoha, or worse the Akatsuki to find him.

Water Country to the east was a huge NOPE from Kane, too. Ever since the new Mizukage took control of the Hidden Mist Village, the place had slowly but surely become more peaceful and open with the other major villages. Despite this, Water Country was still by _far_ the most dangerous country to be in, and Kane seriously doubted his odds of surviving there. He'd have a better shot in Earth Country.

So, unless Kane wanted to take a chance and go to Lightning Country, all the other major countries were out of the question.

Then where the hell would he go?

He needed someplace that not only was distant from Konoha, but also gave him purpose. He needed a _reason_ to go there, something he was looking for.

 _'The Sanguis Clan, located in Hoshigakure, The Village Hidden Among The Stars. It's in The Land Of Bears!'_ Karins voice echoed through Kanes head.

The Land of Bears, located right smack in the middle between Earth and Wind Country, West of Konoha.

He smiled, as he knew _exactly_ where he was heading.

* * *

Kane awoke with a yawn and hopped off his mattress. It was the middle of the day on Wednesday, and he had a lot to do.

Kane spoke with Kakashi-sensei earlier this morning, and convinced the man that he wasn't fit to begin training again after his two day mini-coma. He still felt weak, and needed more rest.

Kakashi-sensei fell for it, and now Kane had all day to prep for his departure.

He decided he didn't need much. He wanted to steal a backpack, first off... After that, he would buy more cup ramen for the road. Kane figured that so long as he could find a source of water, that meant he had food and drink; he could just heat up the water for his cup ramen, and by heating it up it would become drinkable too since the heat would kill off germs.

Really, that was all Kane needed... He didn't have any possessions other than a few sparse clothing items, his headband and the picture of Team 7 he kept under his mattress. If he was feeling lucky, maybe he'd try to snag some kunai off a Chunin or something.

Kane hesitated for the first time since last night. Was he really going to go through with this? Abandon the village? His home?

 _'This is_ _ **not**_ _my home. I don't have a home.'_

Still, he would be giving up everything he had.

He would no longer be a ninja of Konoha.

 _'I don't care; a ninja is a ninja, the location doesn't matter.'_

He would be giving up Kakashi-sensei.

 _'Kakashi... Not sensei. He's not my sensei. I have no sensei; everything I know, I've learned on my own.'_

He would be giving up Naruko and Sasuke.

 _'They've always left me behind. They're Chunin now; they don't need me anymore.'_

He would be giving up Team 7.

 _'I was never a member of Team 7. Team 7 consisted of Kakashi, Naruko and Sasuke. That's it. There was never room for me.'_

Kane remembered his second C-Ranked Mission. He remembered walking around at Tanzaku Gai.

He remembered how _nobody_ knew who he was.

No hateful glares. No whispers behind the back. No sneers of disgust.

Nothing.

If he left, Kane could bask in that same anonymity.

 _Permanently._

The thought thrilled him to no end.

Kane's doubts started to fade away. What else was he giving up?

Nothing, really. He didn't have anything else.

Kane steeled his resolve. He was going to do this!

 _'Time to go snag some essentials.'_

* * *

 _'Because, Kane, your clan is basically extinct at this point.'_

The Fourth Hokages words continued to flow through Kane's mind.

 _'Why do you think you were born here, Kane, and not in Hoshigakure?'_

Kami, why was he doubting himself once again?! Why couldn't he just... Just stick to his choice!

 _'Your parents were running from Hoshigakure, Kane.'_

It didn't matter! Hoshigakure couldn't be worse than Konoha!

 _'Another member of the Sanguis clan, named Naibu, purged the Sanguis clan from existence. As far as we know, you and Naibu are the last remaining members.'_

How did he know! Maybe he was wrong! Maybe his clan was alive! Maybe Naibu wasn't even real! Maybe he was lying!

 _'Your parents brought you here for protection, and so long as you remain with us, this 'Naibu' will never touch you; you have my word.'_

But the _Akatsuki_ could?! No! He was _not_ safe here!

 _'I'm sorry Kane, but you and this 'Naibu' are the last of the Sanguis clan.'_

Maybe he was _wrong._ He had to be! One ninja couldn't possibly wipe out an entire clan! Or he was lying again! Kane was a Jinchuriki, he probably lied to keep him in Konoha!

 _'Your parents were running from Naibu.'_

So what?! He... He didn't care about them. He never even knew them.

 _'Your home is here, Kane, just as your parents wanted.'_

 _Screw_ what they wanted! If they wanted him to stay here, then maybe they shouldn't have _died_.

Screw them, screw Naibu, screw Konoha!

 _Screw the Fourth Hokage!_

Kane squashed his troubling thoughts as he found his target.

* * *

Talk about the _motherload!_ Not only had Kane gotten a backpack, but it was filled with food and even weapons! It was a travelers pack! The person carrying it wasn't from Konoha, and they weren't even a ninja!

He didn't know _why_ a civilian was carrying ninja weapons on their person, but frankly he didn't care.

Kane grinned as he continued rifling through the dozens of pockets. It wasn't even too big! It was the perfect size for him!

His luck was turning around already!

* * *

Kane had his game plan completely set. As he sat in the library Thursday morning, he contemplated his situation.

Once he left the library, he would go home and sleep. Kakashi let him have today as his last day off, and then tomorrow was Friday; he was supposed to go see Mrs. Takanashi.

Kane knew, strategically, what he should do.

He should go help Mrs. Takanashi on Friday, and then ask Kakashi for Saturday off as well. Kakashi won't be pleased, but he'll probably accept. Then, Saturday morning, he heads out. This way the village won't even know he's gone until Sunday morning, giving him a full twenty four hours head start, give or take a few hours.

Kane knew that, logically, this was his best option.

He wasn't going to do any of that.

Instead, he was going to do his final prep work here at the library tonight, go home and sleep the day away Thursday, and be gone early Friday morning.

This was stupid, and Kane knew it. Friday morning, only several hours after his departure, Kakashi would almost assuredly show up to make sure he went to Mrs. Takanashi's.

Instead, he'd find Kane missing.

They'll be on to him in less than half a day of his leaving...

But it was what Kane had decided on.

His reasoning was quite simple.

 _'You_ _ **will**_ _go see Mrs. Takanashi this Friday.'_

It was one last 'Screw You' to the Fourth.

* * *

Kane sighed as he stood up. It was time to go.

He was all set.

He had gone through and made a better battle strategy. He was _supposedly_ the 9 Tails Jinchuriki, so for all intents and purposed the Village needed him to stay put right where he was.

They would chase him.

So, Kane prepared several strategies for how he could set traps along the way. He didn't have much he could work with in the trap department, so he'd have to improvise a lot along the way. Instead, Kane spent a great deal of his time strategizing different ways to use his Kekkei Genkai to set traps.

He'd come up short in _that_ department, but he _had_ come up with numerous ways he could use his abilities to cover his tracks!

It was something, he supposed.

Kane sighed as he gave one last, long look around the library, he eyes taking in the sight of the interior.

This. This was his home. His _real_ home, not that crappy apartment. This was his sanctuary. The place he grew up in. The place he felt safest.

The place he'd never return to.

He gave one last, longing gaze, and then he was out the window.

* * *

Kane had everything he needed. It was time to go. He glanced around the apartment he'd lived in for over six years, and crinkled his nose in distaste.

He would certainly not miss this place.

His eyes fell on the mostly covered glass shards littered around the floor. The glass shards that were once his only lifeline. His only friend. His mother.

He glanced away, refusing to go down that train of thought.

Kane slowly approached his mattress.

There was still one thing remaining.

Kane removed the picture of Team 7 from under the mattress, and stared.

He had never really been apart of the team, had he?

No, he hadn't.

He should toss the picture on the ground. He should smash it. He should spit on it. He should do _something_.

Instead, he placed the picture inside his backpack, and then he was out the door, never looking back.

* * *

 _"Ahhh!" Naruko screamed out as a cat continued to claw her face. "Get OFF of me!" She screamed in rage as she held it at arms length, the cat continuing to hiss at Naruko._

 _"Mission accomplished, Kakashi." Sasuke said as the Jounin appeared behind him. He eye smiled at the sight of Naruko growling at the infamous Tora. He himself remembered Obito doing the same thing when he was a Genin._

 _"Well done, Team 7! Let's return to headquarters."_

 _When Naruko began whispering evil plans to the cat Tora, Kane couldn't help but laugh, which drew a smile out of Naruko._

* * *

 _"Need some help?" Kane heard the question from behind him. He turned to find Sasuke already started on part of his portion of weed pulling. Team 7 was on another D-Rank mission._

 _"Oh. Thanks, Sasuke." Kane said in surprise and appreciation. Sasuke only grunted in reply. Kane turned back to his work only to see Naruko also helping him on his portion, as she, like Sasuke, finished her portion already. She gave him a large smile and without a word continued pulling weeds._

 _As Kane glanced back at Sasuke and back again to Naruko, he felt a warm, bubbly feeling in his chest._

* * *

 _As Kane began circling Sasuke, the blue haired boy simply smirked at Kane and remained standing in an upright, relaxed posture, hands inside his pockets._

 _Kane couldn't help the irritation he felt at how Sasuke clearly viewed him._

 _He charged._

 _Sasuke stepped to the side._

 _He tripped._

 _Naruko couldn't help it. She burst out laughing._

 _Kakashi eye-smiled._

 _Sasuke smirked down at him. "How's the dirt taste, Dead Last?"_

 _Kane growled, but as he began attempting to stand up, a hand stuck itself in its face. He glanced up to see Sasuke offering his arm, smirk still in place._

 _Kane took it, his glare being replaced by a small smile._

* * *

 _"Walk me home?" She asked with an innocent smile._

 _"W-what?" Kane stuttered back._

 _"I asked if you'd walk me home, Kane." Naruko repeated with an innocent smile and slight blush._

 _"My apartment is that way" Kane said as he pointed in the opposite direction Sasuke went, and a different direction than Naruko goes. This is the spot the three always split up at._

 _"So? It's late. A woman shouldn't be out this late by herself." She simpered._

 _"You're stronger than I am!" Kane accused._

 _A large, shit-eating grin spread across Narukos face. "Damn right I am! Now come on!"_

* * *

 _Kakashi came to a halt in front of a lone tree. Kane looked up at him in confusion._

 _"Climb this."_

 _Kane was beyond confused at this point. "Sensei?" He asked as a way of inquiring for more information._

 _"I want you to climb this tree."_

 _"A-alright..." Kane said slowly as he began walking towards the tree. The moment he grabbed the lowest limb, Kakashi coughed as a way of getting his attention._

 _"Without using your hands." Still never taking his eye off his book._

* * *

 _He was a member of Team 7!_

 _"Good! Since you're all in such a good mood, how about I make your spirits raise even higher?" All attention was on Kakashi as he said this._

 _"Today is our Mission day, and I believe you guys are ready for your first C-Rank."_

 _Naruko exploded. "YES YES YES! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DATTEBAYO! LET'S GO LET'S GO LET'S GO!" And off she went._

 _"Naruko! Stay with us!"_

 _She screamed in pure agony as she halted and began walking back to them, as if walking at a calm and leisurely pace would literally kill her. Kakashi laughed as he began walking towards her and towards the Hokage Tower._

 _Sasuke looked the most excited Kane had ever seen him. "Come on, Kane. Let's go!" He said with his eyes filled with determination and excitement._

 _"I'm ready, Sasuke!"_

 _Sasuke nodded in approval as the two followed after Kakashi and Naruko._

 _And for the first time, Kane truly did feel ready._

* * *

 _"I don't talk to either of you about anything. Anytime I have a problem, I just... bottle it up and don't say anything... I'm not... I'm not used to this. Being a part of something. Being on a team... It's new to me. I don't really..." Kane took a deep breath._

 _"I don't really know what to do." Kane admitted with a shaky breath._

 _The tears in Naruko's eyes spilled over._

 _'And here come the waterworks...' Kakashi thought to himself._

 _Naruko launched herself at Kane and hugged him tightly. Kane hesitated, but eventually built up enough courage to hug her back. Naruko suddenly launched away from him while still holding on with one arm, and wrenched Sasuke into the hug too._

 _Kakashi eye-smiled at what he was witnessing._

 _"From now on, we'll be a real team!" Naruko wailed as tears kept pouring out._

 _Kane couldn't take it anymore. He began crying too, struggling to hold in his sobs and occasionally one was let free._

 _Sasuke just sighed. "You two are idiots." But Sasuke tightened himself even deeper into the hug._

* * *

"Ah, greetings, Teuchi-san!" Izumo greeted the man as he smiled back kindly.

"Hello, Izumo-san!"

"You're out awfully late. Where are you headed?" Izumo asked curiously.

"Out of town! My sister is currently spending time in Tanzaku Gai, and I'm off to see her!"

"Really? I didn't know you had a sister, Teuchi-san!" Izumo responded in surprise.

"Indeed I do! She lives in Sunagakure, but she's nearby and it's a good chance to catch up!"

"Why are you leaving so late, though?"

"The blasted woman didn't even tell me she was there until this afternoon! I received a letter late this evening, and she's leaving tomorrow night!"

Izumo laughed at this, "Women, am I right?"

Teuchi glared, "Watch it. That's my sister you're talking about."

Izumo backtracked quickly, "Ah! Sorry, sorry! My apologies, Teuchi-san!"

Teuchi smiled, "That's quite alright, but I must be on my way now!"

Izumo smiled back, "Have a safe trip, Teuchi-san!"

"Thank you!" Teuchi waved as he walked off.

* * *

His henge disappearing with a quick _'poof!'_ , Kane Sanguis looked back at Konohagakure one last time.

Konoha, the place he's spent the past twelve years of his life. The place he grew up. The only home he's ever truly known.

It was time to say farewell.

Kane adjusted his backpack slightly, turned around, and walked away.

Away from his apartment. Away from the library. Away from the Hokage. Away from the villagers. Away from the stares. Away from the lies. Away from the loneliness. Away from Team 7.

Away from Konoha.

* * *

End of Chapter 27.


	28. Chapter 28

Kane came to a halt, pivoted, turned a complete one eighty, and ran back the direction he just came from.

 _'I left from the North gate. That should, hopefully, throw them off for a bit longer than I spent taking this little detour. Now, to head West!'_

As he took to the trees, Kane grew lost in his own mind.

 _'My biggest issue are the Inuzukas... If they send a clan member after me, there's no way I'll make it out of the country. I'll have to throw them off my scent somehow along the way.'_

Kane yelped as he nearly lost his footing before quickly composing himself.

 _'Then, there's the Hyuuga. If they have a Hyuuga with them and they get even slightly close to finding me, all hope is lost.'_

That just meant he had to make sure they never got too close.

 _'And the Aburame... Honestly, I don't have a clue what to do about them. They can literally ask bugs for information... Don't know how I'll deal with that yet.'_

Kane sighed as he continued along until finally spotting the road heading West.

 _'I need to stick to the trees, but I also need to follow the road... I don't actually have a clue where I'm going or how to navigate. All I know is that I need to head West.'_

Kane continued onwards, sticking as close to the road as he could without abandoning the trees.

* * *

Suna was a three day trip from Konoha. That meant Hoshigakure was probably between four and five days. He'd cross through Rain Country and into Bear Country, avoiding the Hidden Rain Village as he did.

What would he do once he got to Hoshigakure? Would he try to join the village? Would he try to find his, possibly extinct, clan?

Would he run into Naibu?

He didn't know, and frankly he wasn't concerned with it at the moment. Right now, his primary concern was getting out of Fire Country.

If he gets caught, then any and all thoughts concerning his possible choices and dilemmas will be for naught.

 _'I wonder what will happen if they manage to catch me in time...'_

Kane didn't have a clue, if he were being honest with himself. Would they buckle down on him and restrict him? Would they strip him of his Genin rank, and his Shinobi title? Would they forgive and forget?

He snorted at the last thought. Since when had Konoha ever done him any favors?

Kane smiled as the stench of mud filled his nostrils.

That was _exactly_ what he needed!

* * *

The Genin turned Missing Ninja groaned at the odor he now exuded. He smelled like crap!

Kane attempted to pat down his now wild hair as he continued hopping along the trees. He was definitely not looking his best right now.

Kane slipped as he landed on a branch thanks to the mud on his shoes. He quickly landed on his hands and transitioned his body into a hand stand. Kane glared at the branch as he slowly stood back on his own two feet.

His eyes widened as he he realized an important fact.

He had slipped.

Because of the mud.

The mud that he was leaving trails of everywhere he went.

 _'Oh Kami, I'm so stupid!'_ Kane internally screamed as he stared at the mud tracks in horror. He'd left a trail for Konoha! Sure, he covered his scent, but he left a freaking _trail!_ That was ten times worse!

 _'Okay, okay! Just... Just relax Kane. You can fix this.'_

Thank Kami for the pond nearby. The soothing sensation of the water did wonders for his nerves and the anxiety that was quickly growing within him.

 _Wait._

Kane looked towards the nearby pond, and smiled as a trail of water began rising and flowing towards him.

* * *

Kane couldn't wipe the grin off his face even if he tried. This was _so damn cool!_

He continued hopping tree to tree, mud tracks being left behind with every other step he took.

And a large, flying source of water cleaning up the mud behind him.

It was _perfect!_ Not only was he covering his tracks _and_ his scent, but the water was leaving absolutely no trail whatsoever! Any leftover residue of water that fell behind on the tree limbs after wiping the mud away, Kane simply heated up! There was nothing left, nothing pointing towards the path he was taking, not even wet spots!

Although, it wasn't good enough yet and Kane knew it. So far, once they realized he hadn't gone North but had instead gone West, it was quite easy to see the pattern Kane was taking. He was following the road, after all.

They may not necessarily be able to track him (although Kane was fairly certain they would figure it out despite his best efforts), but they could easily guess which way he was heading.

As Kane continued forward, he felt the presence of another large body of water in the distance. A lake.

Kane turned his head to glance at the water following behind him curiously, ideas running rampant.

* * *

As he grew closer to the lake, Kane made it a point to jump down from the trees onto the ground. He intentionally stepped on several leaves and twigs as he walked towards the lake.

 _'They'll surely see that and follow the trail. Now I just have to throw them off... Hopefully, they'll think I changed course now.'_

Kane reached the water source, and prayed to Kami that this would work.

He walked across the water towards deeper waters, and stopped.

And smiled when a large amount of the water below him raised into the air, and fired off away from the lake and back towards the road, himself standing on top of it.

* * *

 _'You know, this really is a sweet way of traveling.'_ Kane thought to himself as he slurped up several noodles from the cup ramen in his hand. He was sitting on his backside, watching as he flew threw the sky above the road.

 _'Man, I'm not even losing much Chakra... I can definitely keep going for a long time...'_

As he continued eating his ramen, his thoughts turned towards Konoha.

 _'I can't believe I actually did it. I actually left... I'm a Missing Ninja...'_

The thought put a smile on his face.

 _'I wonder how everyone will react to me leaving... Will anyone miss me?'_

He snorted in amusement. _As if._

 _'I wonder how Naruko and Sasuke will react when they find out...'_

The thought unsettled him slightly. He had no clue how either of them would feel. Would they be angry? Sad? Uncaring? He wasn't sure.

As Kane finished his ramen, he hesitated while looking down at the empty cup in his hands.

 _'I should probably just keep the trash for now. The less trails I leave, the better.'_ Kane thought as he put the empty cup inside his backpack.

Kane inhaled a quick burst of air as a new feeling entered his system.

He felt blood.

Kane glanced down from his position in the sky to see several people looking up at him and several fingers pointed his direction.

 _'Oh... That's not good.'_

Kane slowed down and looked more carefully at the group as he descended cautiously, growing closer.

Bandanas, maces, katana, kunai...

 _'Bandits.'_

Six of them, to be precise. Kane hesitated. Really, he should just move on. If the squads chasing after him ran into bandits, odds are they'd ignore them in favor of trying to find him. He doubted they'd stop to ask for directions, so the bandits would never even tell them he'd been there. Besides, if he tried to make them keep their mouths shut, not only would he be wasting time, he'd probably just increase his chances of getting caught.

He knew all of this, and yet...

Kane hopped off the floating water and onto the ground as he reached the Earth, the six bandits quickly surrounding him.

 _He never did get that chance to prove himself._

* * *

The man screamed in pain as he crumbled to his knees, his eyes closed as he faced towards the sky. His face was completely burned.

Everyone froze.

Kane smirked as he pulled another, watermelon sized ball of water from the larger source behind him, and began boiling it.

"He's just a stupid kid! Get him already!" One of the bandits screamed as another charged Kane from the left, swinging a mace at Kane's face.

Kane quickly ducked before whipping out a kunai and stabbing the man in the stomach. The man howled as he took several quick steps back, dropping the mace onto the ground.

Kane saw from his peripheral as another bandit was quickly closing in on him.

And smirked when, without even looking at the bandit, he launched the boiling water right into the man, his screams and actions imitating the first.

Two more charged him simultaneously, and they received the same treatment.

The one Kane stabbed earlier stared at him in pure fear.

"Dude... Hell no. Hell no. I'm so out of here, we should've run the moment we saw the kid flying through the damned sky!" He yelled as he ran away, his arms wrapped around the wound in his stomach.

For some reason, Kane's instincts were _screaming_ at him. He couldn't let the man go. Not only was this stupid and a loose end, but...

Something in him refused to allow it.

Several ' _ **thunk!**_ _'_ s were heard as multiple kunai embedded themselves in the retreating mans back. He fell to the ground, never to get up again.

Kane turned towards the last bandit, who only scowled at his comrades in annoyance. The man _oozed_ confidence.

"Well, kid. Good job, I guess. Too bad for you, but I'm a ninja too, and I don't plan on going down so easily."

Funnily enough, Kane smiled at the mans words.

After all, his confidence was misplaced.

Kane smiled at the wound on the mans left side. An open wound.

He was the one who's blood Kane felt from the sky.

The man collapsed with a scream as his skin turned red. Kane slowly walked up to the Ninja-turned-bandit, and despite the mans pleas, drew his kunai along the mans throat.

He repeated the process with the four other downed bandits, and then he was gone.

* * *

You know, he probably should've taught himself how to make camp before leaving, Kane mused.

Oh well.

Kane leaned up against a nearby tree as he prepared for rest. The weather would be cool tonight, but not too cold as to worry him in any way. He would be fine without a fire.

 _'I can't believe I did it. I actually did it!'_ Kane thought in delight as his thoughts trailed back to the major event of the day.

 _'If only Naruko and Sasuke could see me now. Take that!'_ he thought with a small giggle of delight.

He had _done it_! He had finally proven himself! He fought the bandits he _should've_ fought on his first C-Rank, or even his second. And he did it _by himself_.

His thoughts took a slightly disheartening turn.

 _'Yeah... I did it... I proved myself... Too bad it doesn't even matter anymore. Noone was here to see it, and even if they were, who cares? I'm a Missing Ninja now...'_

Kane shook his head.

 _'No! I won't think that way! Who cares what they think?! It doesn't matter if they were here or not or if they were impressed or not! The only thing that matters is what_ _ **I**_ _think! I didn't do it for them, I did it for myself!'_

With those final thoughts placing a small measure of contentment within him, Kane fell asleep.

* * *

Kane found himself tree hopping once more. While 'flying' - floating, really - was all well and good, it was a lot slower than simply tree hopping. The main reason he tested out if he could do it or not was because he wanted to throw them off his trail.

Well, there were six dead men following his wake now. That's about as hot a trail as it gets.

So, there wasn't any point in riding on the water anymore. It would only slow him down.

Besides; he lost most of the water as it dried up last night anyway. Thankfully, he did have enough still floating behind him for two or three cups of ramen.

It was getting late already. The day had been completely uneventful; just tree hopping with several short breaks throughout.

Kane was tired. _very_ tired. He knew he wouldn't be able to go through the night; although he had hoped to do exactly that. He would stop soon and rest for the night.

Tomorrow, he would be out of Fire Country.

Tomorrow was the last day. Konoha had to stop him before he crossed the border. They wouldn't chase him beyond that point.

Tomorrow, he'd be free.

The thought both terrified and excited him.

* * *

The two stared into each other's eyes, blue meeting blue. Kane glared, as the blonde before him just stared sadly.

"How could you abandon us, Kane? I thought we were a team..." Naruko spoke softly.

"Shutup! We were _never_ a team! You, Sasuke and Kakashi were a team! There..."

Kane choked up slightly.

"There was never any room for me."

"That's not true, Kane, and you know it..." She whispered barely loud enough for him to hear.

He scowled at the girl in anger, "Yes! It is!"

She simply gave him a small, sad smile.

"Come home, Kane. We can fix this. We can make this work! Everything will be alright... We can still be a team."

She paused for several seconds.

"We can still be a family."

Kane felt rage course through his veins as the sky itself seemed to turn red.

"You are _**not**_ my family. I _**have no**_ family. I only have myself! I'm the only one who has _**ever**_ looked after myself! It's always been me, and _**me alone**_! How _**dare**_ you claim to be something like that?!" Kane roared at the girl as she recoiled in shock.

He glared hatefully, "I have no family, and I will _**never**_ return to Konoha."

* * *

Kane awoke with a start.

A dream.

Kane stood up shakily, that dream had felt so _real_.

Still, it did manage to do one thing; it motivated Kane to get moving. He would escape Fire Country, and never return.

He leapt for the trees, and took off.

* * *

Kane halted as he came across a large meadow filled with beautiful flowers of all sorts of colors. The wind blew across the open field, the flowers bending to the will of the gentle breeze.

This was it.

This was the border between Fire Country and Rain Country.

Kane slowly walked across the field, his eyes taking in the sights.

He took what he knew to be the final step between the borders, and pivoted on his foot to face the opposite direction.

He'd done it.

He'd crossed the border.

He stared at the direction he'd just come from. The direction leading straight to Konoha.

 _'It's funny... I almost expect to see Naruko come charging through the forest, Sasuke and Kakashi-sen-... Kakashi close behind,'_

Instead, nothing happened.

Kane knew, in that moment, that he'd succeeded.

He'd thrown Konoha off his trail long enough to escape. By the time they arrived here, he'd be long gone.

There would be no grande display of emotion. No reunion with old friends and teammates. No huge battle to force him to come home. Nothing.

Only a gentle breeze, guiding him towards new horizons.

It was all so anticlimactic, Kane thought with a small smile.

Perhaps it was better this way.

Kane turned around, and began walking off.

Deeper into Rain Country. Closer to Bear Country. Further from Fire Country.

And onto new beginnings.

* * *

End of Chapter 28.


	29. Intermission

_Intermission_

Aaaaand we're done! We have officially completed our journey through 'Naruto'!

28 Chapters and 65k Words. I think it's time for a short break and A/N to clarify several things with you guys! Let's take a small step back and see how things have gone so far!

First off, if you've come this far, I hope you've enjoyed the story and continue reading! We have a long way to go, so strap yourself in if you're coming along for the ride!

The story will not do a generic 3 year time skip. Instead, we will follow Kane for these next few years before the start of Shippuden. There will be scenes where we explore Konoha and the effect Kane's departure has had there as well. For those excited to see the reactions to Kane's departure, they're coming! What else will you see during this upcoming Arc? I guess you'll just have to read to find out! Don't worry, the next Arc will not be too terribly long and I think some of you will find it quite interesting!

Chapters will most likely continue to pace themselves at 2 per day. Upon reaching Shippuden, chapters will almost certainly be reduced to 1 per day, however generally speaking chapters will begin growing larger. I will most likely do another brief intermission before beginning Shippuden.

That being said, I'm heading out for the weekend (06/21-06/24), so the next arc will not begin for the next several days. Chapters will begin their steady flow once more sometime between Sunday night and Monday night(EDT). Apologies for the inconvenience! Think of it as a short break before the next Arc begins!

Lastly, I'd like to thank everyone for taking time to review and/or PM me! Every review to date has been read, and I appreciate each and every one of them! Even the ones that are just flame! I have especially enjoyed reviews from those of you who have made guesses as to what you think will happen in the future!

I've also enjoyed the conversations I've had through PM with several of you, and encourage you to continue communicating with me! Once again, for those who don't know, if you have anything you wish to be addressed directly, send me a PM! I will not answer Reviews unless I feel a real desire to address a concern brought forth, and I will only address the concern through PMing the reviewer. However, I will always respond to PM's!

Thanks again for reading Blood Bag, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

Special Shout Out to my consistent reviewers, PMers and those who have left reviews I particularly enjoyed!

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And Several Guests that I am unable to specifically thank! Apologies if I intended to place your name on the list and missed you! I've enjoyed every review, even the ones from those not specified above, and I hope you all continue to give me the excellent feedback, constructive criticism, thoughts and support I've received thus far!

-Traydox


	30. Chapter 29

Minato Namikaze choked back a sob as he cradled his infant daughter in his arms. Kushina Uzumaki had passed away, and he hadn't even been there for her. Instead, he watched as the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, sealed the Nine Tailed Fox inside his child.

Kushina meant the world to him. His bond with the fiery redhead was one of the two most important bonds in the world to him, along with his bond to the Leaf Village.

Now, she was gone.

Naruko continued to wail as he quietly shushed her, rocking her back and forth.

Naruko would grow up never knowing the wonderful woman that was her mother. The thought alone was enough to cause another set of tears to well up in the man's eyes.

Minato would never get to hold her again. Laugh with her again. Kiss her again.

He would never get to raise a family with her.

The Fourth Hokage stared at the seal imprinted on his only child's stomach. There hadn't been time to debate; he and Hiruzen chose Naruko and that was that. There wasn't time to think of other options. There wasn't time to consider if it was the best choice.

There wasn't time to comprehend how much danger they'd put the young girl in.

Soft footsteps echoed behind Konoha's Yellow Flash. He turned and glanced at the man now standing behind him with emotionless, drained eyes before turning back to look at his daughter.

"She won't survive the coming years." The man's rough, unsympathetic voice cut through the night.

Minato tensed as his grip on Naruko tightened ever so slightly, sending the girl once again into a burst of tears and screams.

"Iwa will come for her. They'll seek retribution. No matter what you do, she'll be in danger. Maybe you could've protected her, but not anymore. Not with her being a Jinchuriki, too. Iwagakure will be relentless in their determination to kill the child."

Minato said nothing as he continued to rock the girl.

"If she weren't a Jinchuriki, you could protect her... But as soon as word reaches the Hidden Cloud Village of her status, they won't stop. They won't allow the daughter of the man that nearly single-handedly won the Third Great Shinobi War to grow up as the Jinchuriki of the strongest biju in existence." The man continued to monologue.

"What do I do?" Minato rasped out, his voice nearly failing him.

"You let me fix this." The man replied.

Minato continued to stare at his daughter. The only thing he had left in the world. The only thing he had left of Kushina.

He gave a curt, emotionless nod, and the man behind him began walking away.

And so, Kane Sanguis, orphaned child only eight days of age, would be declared Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

Under direct orders of Danzo Shimura.

* * *

It was a common rule in most hidden villages that orphaned children were taken care of in orphanages. These orphanages were supplied with everything by the village; all expenses were paid for, and the treatment of said children was taken very seriously.

After the age of five, most children were adopted. For those few that were not, they were generally continued to be cared for by the orphanage, however there were outliers. Officially, the children were no longer the responsibility of the orphanage; they were old enough to get a place of their own.

For those few children that are put into this position, the apartment or home given to the child is always paid for by the Village, and usually a small stipend is given to the child for food and necessities.

Minato was grateful that the Leaf Village held true to these traditions. Kane Sanguis was given a home in the orphanage, and the caretaker of the children assured him that the boy would be allowed to stay at the very least until his fifth birthday.

In fact, she promised him personally that Kane Sanguis would be allowed to stay until his sixth. Minato weaseled the promise out of her knowing the odds of Kane being adopted were low; he could be quite charming when he liked.

Minato couldn't bring himself to regret allowing Danzo to declare Kane as the Jinchuriki. Iwa had attempted several assassination's on little Naruko; all foiled by himself. Had they known she was the Kyuubi's host, he knew Naruko would've had an even larger target on her head.

If he were being completely honest; despite how powerful a Shinobi he was, Minato doubted he could've protected her had they known the truth.

Minato has been busy these past several years. Less than two years after the end of the Third Great Shinobi War, the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked Konoha. Minato has spent the past several years dealing with the fallout of _both_ events.

It was thanks to this, that Minato was grateful for the tradition of orphanages. Minato wanted to take care of the child, Kane, truly he did... But he couldn't. All of his attention was spent on the village and protecting and raising Naruko. He simply didn't have the time to raise another child as well; especially one as problematic as a Jinchuriki.

Besides, if he took in the boy, then what was the point in lying in the first place? Iwa would attack even more frequently; the Jinchuriki and Yondaime's daughter living in the same house? Two birds with one stone.

Kane would get the first six years of his life in the orphanage; after that, Minato would purchase Kane an apartment using the Village's funds, as was tradition. Minato would splurge slightly, granting the boy a better apartment than was warranted by using some of his own personal funds alongside the Villages.

Kane Sanguis would grow up well, and would want for nothing.

* * *

Minato slammed his fist down onto his table.

"What the _hell_ are you playing at, Danzo?!"

The man simply stared back at him before responding calmly, "I wish to take care of the boy."

"No." Minato responded flatly.

Danzo narrowed his eyes, "And why not? The boy is five years old today, and is no longer a concern of the orphanages. He should be granted a home; I can do that for him. Perhaps, in time, the child will even come to see me as his father. As his family."

Danzo Shimura was one of Minato's most trusted advisors. He had been a close advisor for Hiruzen, and that alone earned Minato's respect and favor. Beyond that, Danzo has proven himself competent time and time again to Minato.

Minato's right-hand man was Kakashi Hatake, and everybody knew it. Minato kept Kakashi close after the war, and he knew that despite the man's distant and cold demeanor, being around Minato so much had done wonders for him. Other than Kakashi, however, Danzo Shimura was almost certainly Minato's main advisor.

Minato was well aware of Root, and allowed it to continue existing. It was shady, to be sure, however the missions they completed were necessary for the survival of the Village. Minato could understand that.

Despite this, Minato would never allow an organization like Root to exist had it been owned by anyone else. Minato didn't always agree with Danzo Shimura _or_ his methods, but there was one thing he knew to be true without fail;

Danzo Shimura loved Konoha more than anything else in the world.

He was loyal, and everything Danzo did he did in the best interests of the village. Minato respected that, even if he didn't always agree. Sometimes, Minato wished he could be more like Danzo... But he knew he never would be.

His greatest bond had become Naruko, and Naruko would forever trump the Village in Minato's eyes.

Danzo was an avid supporter of Minato. Very rarely did the two clash; and _never_ did it turn into a serious debate between the two; one would always differ to the other, usually with Minato getting his way.

Except when it came to Kane.

"Why, Danzo? Why do you hold such interest for the child...? You and I both know the truth behind his... Status... So why? Why do you spend so much time fighting me left and right for control over the boy?" Minato asked with genuine curiosity. Kane Sanguis was the one thing that Danzo refused to relent on. He was always pushing for Kane to be put into the Root organization, despite the kid being so young.

And now, here he was, pushing to become Kane's _father_.

Danzo began naming off numerous reasons, all having some sort of logic to them. Everything from protecting Naruko, to raising the boy correctly, to not letting the 'Jinchuriki' grow to hate the village due to isolation, everything he could think of.

Minato knew it was all bullshit.

There was something else going on, but he just couldn't figure out _what_.

* * *

Minato Namikaze was _seething_.

Danzo Shimura had bested him.

The man had _coerced_ the caretaker at the orphanage to kick Kane Sanguis out, despite the promise to keep the child until his sixth birthday. Minato hadn't even _known_ until recently, and apparently Kane had been living on the streets for nearly eight months.

 _Homeless._

How had this happened in _his_ Village without him knowing?!

Minato had never felt so incompetent in his life. He had _failed_ Kane, and he knew it. He had failed as the Hokage.

Danzo riled up the clan heads at the council meeting, and it wasn't long before the vast majority of the members were declaring _something_ be done about the homeless Jinchuriki.

Thankfully, Minato has always been quick on his feet. Before Danzo was even able to suggest that he become the boys caretaker, Minato had declared that an apartment was to be purchased for the child, as per traditions. Minato had _insisted_ , saying the decision was not up for debate; it was a tradition, and traditions were to be followed and respected.

Nearly all of the clan members had agreed, knowing firsthand how important tradition was.

Then, Danzo had bested him once more. Danzo had announced that _he_ would find the boy a place to live. Typically, for situations like this, Minato would delegate the task to somebody else, and everybody in the room was aware of this fact.

So Minato kept his mouth shut, and let Danzo be the one to purchase a home for Kane.

* * *

When Minato walked Kane Sanguis to his new home, he had felt _disgusted_.

The apartment chosen by Danzo was _horrible_.

It was clear to Minato that the man had intentionally chosen the worst apartment he could find in the entire village. It was all a ploy; Danzo wanted Minato to cave, and allow him to gain custody over the child rather than subject him to such horrid living conditions.

Minato would _not_ allow that.

He didn't know why Danzo was so obsessed over Kane, but he knew no matter what the reason was it would _not_ be good for Kane. Whatever Danzo's reasons would be for the good of Konoha, and most likely to the detriment of Kane. Minato wouldn't allow Danzo to put the boy through even more suffering.

He'd been through enough.

Could he grant Kane a new apartment? No, he couldn't... The paperwork had been filed, and if Kane were to be given a new home, then the village would _not_ pay for it, let alone give Kane his stipend every two weeks.

Could he adopt Kane? No. The assassination attempts had finally ceased on Naruko, and bringing Kane into his home would undoubtedly reignite the attempts with new fervor. It would put both children at risk.

Minato was in a bind and Danzo knew it.

So, instead, Minato gave Kane a tight smile as the boy weeped in joy at his first ever birthday gift.

* * *

The Inuzuka clan hated Kane. The Hyuuga clan hated Kane. The Yamanaka clan hated Kane. The Akimichi clan hated Kane. The Nara clan disliked the child, the Aburama clan was indifferent, and the Uchiha clan defended the boy _only_ for the sake of pissing off the Hyuuga clan. The Sarutobi clan had no member until Konohamaru came of age since Asuma refused to participate, and the Senju clan had no member since Tsunade left the village.

All in all, Kane Sanguis was doomed when it came to the Council. His only saving grace was that because the boy was so young, very few things involving him were important enough to be brought forth to the Council.

This time, Kane's luck would run out, and he wouldn't even know it.

"It's tradition to grant the boy a stipend along with the home!" Fugaku Uchiha argued.

"No, Danzo is right, the boy should learn how the real world works. It'll save money for the Village and teach the boy plenty of life lessons." Tsume Inuzuka argued.

"Save the Village money? As if Konoha's treasury will change because we deny a child the right to eat." Fugaku sneered in distaste.

Minato stared at the table, his head leaning against his interconnected hands. It didn't matter how much he or Fugaku argued.

He knew how this would end.

* * *

Six years. Nearly six years, Danzo Shimura had kept watch over Kane Sanguis' home. Minato couldn't believe it.

Danzo knew _everything_.

Danzo knew Minato has been slipping Kane secret stipends from his own, personal treasury every other week. Danzo knew Minato had no idea that a Root Anbu was stationed outside Kane's house every night, and would swipe the stipend long before Kane ever knew it was there. Hell, Danzo even knew about Kane's habit of going to the library every night.

And Minato had never known.

Why? Why had Danzo refused to even allow an anonymous stipend to reach Kane's hands?

Minato felt a lump in his throat. Kane had spent the last _six years_ living without a stipend...

 _How had the boy been feeding himself?_

 _Minato didn't want to know._

* * *

"You _will_ pass the boy. Understood, Umino-san?" Minato asked with a death glare at the scar-faced man.

"Ah! Y-yes, Hokage-sama!" Iruka saluted as he shook in fear.

"Good!" Minato said with a charming, disarming smile as he walked away.

Kane Sanguis was good enough to be a Genin; he could do all three required techniques, and his book knowledge was _sporadic_ due to being self taught, but extremely good. Kane was easily one of the smartest amongst his peers, if you don't consider the fact that there were gaps in his fundamentals that the others wouldn't have.

Kane Sanguis would be passed, and Minato would place him on Team 7 alongside Naruko and Sasuke, under Kakashi. Naruko and Sasuke were guaranteed to be placed on the same team together, being the top two students, and Minato was betting on Iruka Umino's severe bias to place Kane at dead last; despite Minato's demand that the boy pass. If Iruka proved him wrong and Kane in fact was _not_ Dead Last, then Minato would find some other way to place Kane on Team 7. He _would_ be on Team 7, Minato would make sure of it.

Kakashi was the only person in the world Minato would trust his daughter to, and Sasuke was an Uchiha prodigy; the three were a perfect fit.

Minato wanted Kane to be on this team. He truly believed that Naruko could help the boy come out of his shell and break away from his severe isolation, and Kakashi being his sensei would grant Minato more control over the boy.

It would reduce Danzo's control, too.

Minato would watch over Kane from now on. He had failed the boy; but now, he would make sure through both Naruko and Kakashi, that Kane had a good life here in Konoha. He would encourage friendship between Kane and his daughter, and he would act as a surrogate sensei through Kakashi.

He would make sure that Kane was happy.

* * *

"No, Hokage-sama. After reaching the small lake in the middle of the forest, the boy's trail just... Vanished."

Minato felt a lump in his throat.

"Did... Did you check..."

"Yes, Hokage-sama. There was no corpse on the bottom of the lake." The Anbu with the Boar mask replied.

Thank Kami for small mercies.

Minato dismissed the Anbu, and sighed sadly as he collapsed his face into his hands.

How had things spun so out of control?

How had he failed this badly?

Minato felt another lump in his throat and his voice escape him as the door to his office opened once more, and his most precious person strolled in.

Naruko stared up at him with watery eyes, however it was clear the girl was fighting off the tears as best she could.

"Dad? Why... Why are the villagers saying that the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails left the village?"

Minato knew he wasn't ready for this conversation.

"Why, Dad? ... Why does the entire village think the Kyuubi is sealed inside of Kane?"

Minato didn't think he'd ever be ready.

"The... The Kyuubi's inside me... I met him recently... You told me he was inside me before the Chunin Exams... So why..."

And as tears began to trail down his little girl's cheeks, Minato realized he hadn't just failed one person.

He'd failed two.

* * *

End of Chapter 29.

Arc 2, The Timeskip Arc, has officially begun!


	31. Chapter 30

As he stared at the name's of his fallen comrades, Kakashi Hatake felt the familiar coil of misery winding tightly around his torso.

He had failed Obito. He had failed Rin. He had failed Minato-sensei. He had failed Konoha.

And now, he had failed Kane. His student.

Kakashi hadn't had a clue. All of the signs were there - isolation, anger, hostility, aggression. Kane had shown all the signs of someone who was hurting, and ready to lash out. Kakashi should've known. He should've seen Kane's abandonment of the village coming. He should've done more to stop it from happening.

But he hadn't.

Instead, he'd allowed one of his precious students to run away.

Why had Kane done it? Why had he run away? Was it because he failed the Chunin Exams? Was it because Naruko and Sasuke became Chunins, and he didn't? Was it because of the Kyuubi?

Was it his fault?

He didn't know _why_ Kane left, but he could've stopped it. This much, Kakashi was certain of.

Maybe if he'd been a better sensei to the kid. Maybe if he'd been there for the kid. Maybe if he'd forced Kane to open up and talk to him when it was clear Kane was unhappy about something. Maybe if he'd spent more time with him. Maybe if he'd trained Kane along with Sasuke before the Chunin Exam Finals. Maybe if he'd just _tried harder_.

Maybe Kane wouldn't have left.

"I really am a failure, huh Obito?" Kakashi spoke with no inflection in his voice.

Kakashi felt frustration at his on ineptitude. Kane left the village; fine. Kane was showing signs of frustration and hostility at those around him; fine. Kane was now a Missing Ninja; fine.

Kakashi could accept all of that, whether it was his fault or not.

What he _couldn't_ accept was that he didn't know _why._

Kakashi had _no idea_ why Kane ran away. It could be for any number of reasons, and Kakashi didn't have the slightest idea which one could be true.

What kind of sensei was he, to not even know his student well enough to tell the Hokage why the boy abandoned the village?

He was a failure.

* * *

As the man took large, quiet steps closer towards the dock, Fugaku Uchiha stared at the back of his youngest son.

"Sasuke."

The blue haired child said nothing as he continued to stare out into the water, hands inside his pockets.

Fugaku came to a stop several feet behind him, and continued to watch him carefully.

"You know, this was where I mastered the Fireball Jutsu." Sasuke said monotonously. Fugaku said nothing as he continued to watch him with calculating eyes.

"I always wanted to be like Itachi. I wanted to become a great ninja, one the village could count on. I wanted to become strong."

Sasuke closed his eyes.

"And yet, lately, I've learned a different meaning of strength. I've come to see that strength isn't just skills in yourself or talent as a ninja... Strength is also something you gain from those around you. From your family. From your friends. From your comrades."

Sasuke turned around to face his father, the two Uchiha staring each other in the eyes.

"Standing here now, after all these years, I realize nothing has changed. I'm still weak. I'm no stronger now than I was when I first learned the Fireball Jutsu. I'm just a child; someone who doesn't even bother to get to know his own teammate well enough to understand why they would abandon the village."

Sasuke took a deep breath as he broke eye contact with his father, closing his eyes slowly.

"Everyone in the entire village is talking about Kane. How he left. How he's evil. How he's going to kill us all. How he's a 'Jinchuriki'... I had no idea. My own teammate. My comrade. My ally _._ And yet, I barely even knew him. He never told me; why would he? I was a terrible comrade. I see that now."

Sasuke turned around to face the lake once more.

"How can I ever hope to become strong? How can I ever hope to find Itachi, and bring him home? How can I ever hope to become worthy of the Uchiha name?"

Sasuke opened his eyes once more, the tell-tale of tears threatening to fall.

"How can I ever hope to do any of those things, when I can't even save my _friend_?"

Fugaku slowly approached before placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"And since when, Sasuke, is it acceptable for a Konoha Shinobi, let alone an Uchiha, to give up?" Fugaku asked sharply, his eyes on the boy.

Sasuke's head snapped to face him, "What?"

"You have grown so much, Sasuke, but you're right. You have a long way to go."

Fugaku turned and slowly began walking away.

"Uchiha do _not_ quit, Sasuke. Remember that."

As Sasuke watched the retreating figure of his father's back, his thoughts became clearer.

He knew what he had to do.

* * *

Team's ten and eight were gathered at a restaurant together, eating a meal as the six Genin gossiped and Asuma stammered around Kurenai.

"I can't believe Kane abandoned the village." Ino said, finally bringing up what was on everyone's minds. Several people flinched, and the table grew relatively quiet as Kurenai and Asuma both stepped outside the restaurant to have a private conversation.

"Yeah... He didn't strike me as the type." Sakura commented as she looked down at her plate of food sadly.

"The guy was always quiet, but he wasn't a bad person. Trust me, I can tell these things... Kane was- is, a nice guy." Choji commented, for once not stuffing his face full of food.

"The guy's going to get himself killed." Kiba said gruffly as Ino, Sakura and Choji turned to look at him in shock.

"Kiba! Kane's our friend! You can't just say things like that!" Sakura snapped at him in anger, prepared the throw a punch at the boy.

"No, Kiba's right." Everyone paused as Shikamaru chimed in his two cents. "The guy has a lot going on, I get that. He's got a giant, nine tailed fox spirit sealed within him, and none of us have a clue what that's like. _I get that_. But still. Kane isn't exactly what I'd call strong; he was Dead Last for a reason. He's probably not going to survive out there." Shikamaru continued, the table falling into silence following his harsh words.

"He's our friend! He's one of us... Even if that's true, we shouldn't say things like that! Imagine if Sasuke heard us, or if... If Naruko heard us..." Sakura continued, the table once again falling silent at the mention of the blonde.

"Is she okay? Naruko, I mean... I haven't seen her since we heard about Kane yesterday." Ino asked with concern on her face and in her voice.

"I don't know... Has anyone seen her?" Sakura asked, recieving multiple shakes of the head in response.

The table fell silent once more.

Shino cleared his throat, and all eyes fell to him.

"Regardless of how we feel about the situation, the fact is that Kane abandoned the village. He's not one of us anymore. He's rogue."

The table tensed.

"He's a traitor."

* * *

Rock Lee was grateful to the woman; really, he was! He was more grateful towards her than anyone ever before; except Gai-sensei, of course!

Still, he _had to know_.

"Is it true?!" Lee shouted the moment the woman stepped through the door.

Tsunade of the Sannin looked taken aback at the boy's boisterous greeting, before giving an aggravated sigh.

"About that Kane brat? Yeah, apparently. Kyuubi's host, abandoned the village, all true."

Tsunade felt anger at the boy, Kane. She didn't get a rat's ass about him or his problems; what she _did_ care about was Naruko Namikaze. The girl was like a granddaughter to her. Minato had even declared her as Naruko's godmother several years back, although it annoyed her to find out that Jiraiya was not only her godfather, but had been since her birth.

She cared for Naruko, and the brat Kane had clearly hurt her.

In fact, Naruko was the reason she came back to the village for this short little 'visit'. The girl messaged her through carrier pigeon, asking she come back to heal her friend 'Rock Lee' who was injured and might never be able to be a ninja again if he didn't get treated.

Kami, but Lee was even more aggravating than Naruko.

"OH! KANE! TO THINK YOU HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH SUCH DIFFICULT TIMES, EVEN WORSE THAN MYSELF! I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YOU! I WILL RUN AROUND THE VILLAGE FIVE HUNDRED TIMES AS PUNISHMENT FOR BEING A TERRIBLE COMRADE!"

Lee screamed in surprise and pain as a fist landed on top of his head.

"YOU'LL DO NO SUCH THING UNTIL YOU'RE FULLY HEALED, BRAT!" Tsunade screamed.

"YES, TSUNADE-SAMA!" Lee screamed back.

As Lee nurtured his aching head, he grew more determined than ever.

He would become a Ninja once more! Then, he would grow even stronger!

Then, he would find Kane.

And save him!

* * *

"I... What?" Naruko asked stupidly as she stared at her idol.

Minato gave her a small, sad smile. "I'm sorry, Naruko-chan, but it's true."

Naruko stared at the ground for several seconds in thought.

Then, she faced her father once more, and gave a care-free shrug along with a huge smile.

"That's fine!"

Minato looked shocked.

"It's not like it really changes anything, right? I'm still me!" Naruko said with a huge grin.

Minato gave a relieved, fond smile to the girl. "Yes, Naruko-chan, you're still you!"

The two blondes stood there, grinning stupidly at each other.

Minato turned serious then, "Naruko-chan, you _must_ keep this to yourself."

"Huh? Can't I tell Kakashi, Kane and Sasuke?" Naruko asked in confusion.

" _ **No!**_ " Minato snapped, causing the girl to jump. He relaxed slightly before continuing, "Naruko, this is serious. You must keep this between us."

"But, then who knows I have the Kyuubi sealed within me?" Naruko asked.

Minato hesitated for a moment, "Only myself and one of my most trusted advisors."

Naruko looked aghast at this, "Not even Pervy-Sage knows?!"

"No, Naruko-chan. Not even him. That's why it's imperitive that you keep quiet about this, alright?"

Naruko nodded slowly, "Okay, Dad."

Minato gave a big grin at this, "Good! Now, let's get back to training. You need to be prepared for your fight with Gaara; don't forget, he has a Demon sealed within him, too, and he's quite strong."

Naruko did a little fist-pump, "Doesn't matter! I'm way stronger than him, and I'm gonna kick his ass ttebayo!"

Minato grinned widely at this, "Don't get too cocky Naruko-chan!"

Naruko simply laughed.

"Come on, after training you and I will go out to eat for dinner."

Naruko cheered at this as the two of them walked off.

* * *

Naruko Namikaze wiped at her wet eyes as she thought back to when her Dad told her about the Kyuubi, two weeks before the Chunin Exam Finals.

Two days after Kane started avoiding her.

Did he know? Did Kane know that the Kyuubi was really inside _her?_

Kami, he probably hated her.

The thought caused a small sob to escape her throat.

 _Kane was gone._

Naruko knew Kane wasn't treated well by the village. She never understood _why_ , but she knew she hated it. Kane had never done anything bad to anyone!

Now, she knew the truth.

The entire village thought the Kyuubi no Kitsune was sealed inside him, and they _shunned_ him for it.

And it wasn't even inside him.

It was inside _her_.

Kami, what must've been going through Kane's head?! All those times the villagers praised her for being the daughter of the Fourth. The prodigy who won Rookie Of The Year even over Uchiha Sasuke, the pride of the Uchiha Clan. The village's princess. The next Hokage.

And meanwhile, he was hated and shunned because of the Kyuubi sealed within her.

Kane was shunned and hated and looked down upon and _alone._

 _Because of her._

Naruko understood now why her Dad was so serious about her not telling her team.

Not telling Kane.

The thought made her bitter.

How could her Dad do this?! He wasn't that kind of person!

No, he didn't do this, that 'advisor' did this! He said he didn't tell the village, but he went along with the idea for her sake. It wasn't his fault, Naruko tried to convince herself. Her Dad could do no wrong. It wasn't his fault! Not him. Not her Dad. Never him.

It was _hers._

Maybe if she'd been there for Kane more. Kami, he was alone his entire life, and she abandoned him because of stupid _peer pressure_.

She was the worst kind of person.

Kane should've grown up with a home. He should've been adopted into a loving family. He should've had a mother, a father, friends, and maybe even a brother or sister!

Instead, he had noone.

And it was all her fault.

Kami, and to think she'd been pining for the boy for months, too. He was probably disgusted by her. He probably hated her guts. She wouldn't blame him if he did.

Naruko took a shaky breath.

So what was she going to do?

Naruko told her dad earlier today, in no small terms, that she _would_ be telling Kakashi and Sasuke the truth. They were her team; her _family_ , they deserved to know.

Kane was her family, too.

The thought caused her eyes to burn once more.

Naruko wanted to tell them. She wanted to tell _everyone_ the truth. Her Dad wouldn't let her, though. When she declared she would announce the truth to the world despite his wishes, he told her exactly what that would mean...

It meant the village would no longer want Kane.

He was considered a Jinchuriki; _Konoha's_ Jinchuriki. The village wanted him, no, _needed_ him back. If she told the world the truth, then Kane wouldn't be needed anymore.

He would be just another Missing Ninja in the bingo books.

He would become kill-on-sight, rather than capture-on-sight.

The thought made her want to vomit.

Still, Naruko wouldn't keep this from Kakashi or Sasuke. They were _Team 7_ , and they deserved to know exactly _why_ Kane abandoned the village.

So, after telling them, what would she do?

Naruko closed her eyes in thought.

* * *

Kakashi and Sasuke had both been completely silent as Naruko told them the truth about Kane.

Kakashi looked as if a small weight had been lifted off his shoulders at finally knowing the reason behind Kane's abandonment. Sasuke looked thoughtful, as if he was trying to figure out exactly how this information could benefit them.

"So, I guess we better start training then." Sasuke finally chipped in after the threesome stood in silence for several minutes.

Naruko's eyes lit up. _Did that mean...?_

"My thoughts exactly, Sasuke-kun. The two of you are going to need to grow much stronger if you're going to rescue Kane." Kakashi said with an eye-smile.

"Yeah. The three of us will bring Kane home. Right, Naruko?" Sasuke asked the girl.

Several tears escaped Naruko's eyes as she quickly wiped them away before giving a little fist-pump.

"Yeah! Hell yeah, ttebayo! We'll train harder than ever, and then we'll save Kane! We'll bring him home, and the four of us can be a team again! We can be a family again!" Naruko said with fire in her eyes.

And so, Team 7 had a new goal.

They would rescue Kane Sanguis, and bring him back.

Back to Konoha. Back to the village. Back as a Shinobi.

And back to them.

* * *

End of Chapter 30.


	32. Chapter 31

_Shit._

 _Shit shit shit shit_ _ **shit.**_

Why? Why now of all times? Why now that he was on his own? Why now, once he had abandoned his home and his friends? _**Why?**_

Kane would have chuckled at the term _'friends'_ had he not felt like he was _literally about to die why was this happening to him damnit?!_

Kane remembered a time, upon being placed on Team 7 with Naruko and Sasuke, where he came to the conclusion that Kami himself must've had it out for him.

Boy, was he right.

Less than a day ago, Kane crossed the border into Rain Country and began making his way towards Bear Country. Now, he was leaning up against a nearby tree, his head gripped by his hands in pain as he swore he could feel it pulsing beneath his palms.

Once again, Kane felt like someone dropped a thousand rocks onto his shoulders. The familiar and much hated weight had returned.

Kami must've seriously hated him. He hadn't felt the weight since he first discovered he could manipulate water, and he thought the feeling was gone forever.

Now, it was back in full force.

Why? Why now, of all times? Why now when he was in the middle of a forest, with nobody around, _alone._

As Kane felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, he couldn't help but think one final thought.

 _Son of a whore._

* * *

 _"You're not welcome here, Kane!" Kakashi spat at the boy as Kane recoiled in hurt and shock._

 _"You abandoned us! You abandoned Konoha! You abandoned Team 7! You're a traitor and a deserter! A coward! Spineless! I told the three of you once that those who abandoned their friends were worse than trash... You, Kane, are worse than trash!"_

 _Kane turned and sprinted away as fast as he could across the training grounds, only to find himself face-to-face with Sasuke._

 _"Dead Last! You won't last ten days out there on your own! Good riddance! You were nothing but a pain in the ass! A burden! Baggage! Worthless! You didn't deserve to be placed on this team, and you never will! I'm glad you finally wisened up and realized that!"_

 _Kane turned again in another direction and took off once more, only to find himself standing before Naruko._

 _She gave him a small, sad smile._

 _"I understand, Kane."_

 _What?_

 _"I understand why you left, Kane. I'm sorry. I get it, really, I do. I know you must hate me." Naruko said with her voice filled with sorrow._

 _No._

 _No!_

 _That wasn't true! He didn't hate her! He didn't even hate Konoha; how could he hate her?! He wasn't even sure if he really hated the Fourth! He didn't hate her!_

 _"I hope... Someday... You can forgive me, Kane."_

 _Why couldn't he speak?! Why wouldn't his mouth move?!_

 _"Goodbye, Kane."_

 _No!_

 _NO!_

 _ **NO!**_

* * *

Kane bolted into an upright, sitting position as he gasped for breath. Sweat matted his hair and forehead down as he panted, trying to get ahold of himself.

 _'It was just a dream...'_

Kane took a deep, steadying breath once more.

"Nightmare, huh?" An unknown, unfamiliar voice shook Kane as he jumped to his feet in surprise. He looked around for the voice, finally taking in his surroundings.

He was in a cave. He could see the entrance not too far away, however no light was coming in. It was clearly the middle of the night. He realized then that he'd been laying in a sleeping bag. There was a small, barely lit fire in the center of the cave, and another sleeping bag was unoccupied at the other side.

Kane's eyes finally snapped towards the figure that he could barely see, leaning against the wall of the cave.

He tensed, waiting for something to happen.

The figure, a man if the voice was any indication, chuckled.

"Now now, no need to be so tense. I mean you no harm."

Kane wasn't so sure about that, "Who are you? What do you want? Where am I?"

The man whistled, "That's a lot of questions. I'll do my best to answer each one of them."

The figure stepped closer to the small light emitted by the campfire, and Kane got his first good look at the man. He has onyx eyes and ash-grey, silverish hair tied up in a ponytail. He was donning a Sound Village headband, black-rimmed glasses and had a disarming, friendly smile on his face.

It only made Kane tense up even more.

"My name is Kabuto. Kabuto Yakushi. I'm a ninja in the Hidden Sound Village, and I saved you out there in the forest. I brought you here and have been taking care of you. You passed out mid-day yesterday, and it's probably several hours until dawn right now. I've been watching over you."

Kane paused as he took this all in.

"Where is 'here'?"

"We're still in Rain Country, if that's what you mean. We're between the borders of Rain and Earth Country, however we haven't crossed the border." Kabuto said with the same smile still on his face. "I brought you here because I figured it was the safest location; away from the Hidden Rain Village but still in Rain Country, and further away from Konoha."

Kane relaxed slightly before tensing up once more.

 _Why was a Hidden Sound Ninja all the way out here, helping him?!_

Kabuto smiled as if he could read Kane's thoughts, "I've been following you, Kane-kun."

 _He didn't remember giving the man his name._

"Woah woah woah, relax Kane-kun. I mean you no harm." Kabuto said with his hands up in a placating manner. Kane hadn't even realized he had whipped out a kunai and taken two steps towards the man.

"Then what do you want?" Kane snapped.

"I am the right-hand man of my master, Orochimaru-sama."

 _Orochimaru._ The man who attacked the Hidden Leaf. The instigator behind Gaara's assault on the village, and the war that damaged some of the village.

"I'll ask again. _Why are you here?_ "

Kane couldn't help but be proud of himself. He wasn't sure when he'd grown such a backbone, but here he was, glaring and making demands of the right-hand man of Orochimaru of the Sannin.

A man who could probably snap his neck, if he liked.

The thought sobered Kane up slightly, but he refused to back down.

"Orochimaru-sama has had his eye on you for quite some time, Kane-kun. He knows everything about you... How you were treated. Your Kekkei Genkai. Your Jinchuriki status. Everything."

Kane couldn't keep the shock off his face.

 _His Kekkei Genkai?!_

"Tell me what you know about my powers!" Kane glared harshly. Kabuto only smiled in response.

"Now now, Kane-kun. That's not my place. If you want to know, why don't you ask Orochimaru-sama yourself?"

Kane recoiled slightly.

"What are you implying?"

"Orochimaru-sama has sent me to offer you a formal invitation into his ranks. In fact, Orochimaru-sama has offered to become your personal _sensei._ "

Kane's mouth dropped open in shock.

"What? Is this some kind of a joke."

Kabuto snickered at him, and Kane glared once more.

"No, Kane-kun. Orochimaru-sama sent me here specifically for you; to find you and invite you to join him. He sees great potential in you, Kane-kun."

Personal training?

From a Sannin?

It was too good to be true.

"What's the catch?" Kane demanded while maintaining his glare.

"No catch. Well, you'll have to swear allegiance to Orochimaru-sama, of course, but other than that; no catch." Kabuto gave another friendly smile.

Orochimaru of the Sannin.

Kane knew plenty about the man _before_ his attack on the village. He'd read plenty on him. About his defection; his experiments; everything.

The man was vile. Cruel. Twisted. Corrupt. Evil.

And very, very powerful.

His attack on the village had only cemented that even further into Kane's knowledge of the man.

"I do have to insist you give me an answer straight away, Kane-kun. I need to get back to the village as soon as possible."

Kane considered for a moment.

Orochimaru was strong. Kane had no doubts he could learn much from the man. But the man was also evil; if Kane went to him, he had no doubts he'd be subjected to witness or even commit terrible acts.

This could also be a trick. There was no guarantee the man didn't want him for some other purpose... This could all be a ruse to lure him in.

But, Kane had nowhere else to go. Sure, he was heading to to Hidden Star Village in hope of finding a possibly extinct Clan, but what would he do if he found nothing in Hoshi?

He'd be lost, with no destination to speak of.

The offer to join the man was tempting, despite the risks he'd be taking. Imagine how strong he could become training under a _Sannin..._

He wondered what the others would think if they learned he'd joined the treacherous snake.

The image of Naruko's horrified expression was enough to wash away all doubts for Kane.

"No. I have no interest in joining you." Kane said flatly.

Kabuto smirked, as if he'd been expecting such an answer.

"I see. Such a shame."

Kane glared at the man.

"So what now?"

Kabuto shrugged nonchalantly, "Nothing. I'm not going to force you to come with me or anything like that. I was here to deliver an invitation, not demand your compliance. Besides, Orochimaru-sama told me you'd reject the offer."

This was probably the most confusing thing Kabuto had said yet.

"If he knew I'd say no, why even offer at all?" Kane asked in confusion.

"To let you know, Kane-kun, that my master is _not_ your enemy. Orochimaru-sama has big plans for you in the future, and he wants you to know that despite the Leaf Village's views on him that have no doubt been thrust down your throat, he is not your enemy. In fact, I think you'll find him to be quite agreeable. The two of you are alike in a lot of ways, you know, and you've both defected from the Leaf Village." Kabuto smiled at him kindly.

Him? Similar to Orochimaru of the Sannin?

The thought made Kane feel sick.

"Well, it's best if I head out. I'm sure we'll meet again someday, Kane-kun." Kabuto gave him a smile as he made his way towards the entrance of the cave.

"Oh, and Kane-kun, I may not really understand anything about you or your Kekkei Genkai myself - only Orochimaru-sama really knows - but if I had to guess, I'd say the reason you fell unconscious was because of the rain. You were getting quite close to the Hidden Rain Village, and it almost always rains there. I'd stay clear of there if I were you."

And then, Kabuto was gone.

Kane collapsed onto the sleeping bag he had awoken in, his racing heart finally slowing down for the first time since he woke up.

Despite having just woken up, Kane felt exhausted.

* * *

The man was gorgeous. Simply gorgeous. Kane couldn't deny that if he tried; he was the most fair man he had ever seen. Striking red hair, piercing amber green eyes, tall, well-built and handsome. His features were sharp and angular. Kane knew without a doubt this was the man of most women's dreams. His skin was _nearly_ perfect. Flawless, were it not for the large scar that ran along the left side of the man's neck.

The beautiful man stood outside a log cabin in the middle of the woods, and was speaking to a smaller, elderly woman right outside the humble abode. The woman was clearly old; her long, grey hair reaching the center of her back. Grey, silverish eyes. The woman had an unfortunate hunchback, too, constantly leaning down and her left arm gripping a wooden walking stick.

The woman was shooing the man away, clearly trying to dismiss him.

The man laughed, and even his laugh was beautiful; like a harmony. This man would be the perfect vocalist, and could probably even bring a Kage to tears were he to sing, Kane decided.

 _'Sheesh, you'd almost think I swing that way with the way i'm ogling the guy...'_

"Alright, alright. I'll leave you be. I need to get going anyway. It was great speaking with you again! I'm glad we got this chance to catch up." The man gave the elderly woman a dashing smile, and shunshined away.

The woman turned as if to head back inside, and suddenly halted. Her eyes snapped across the forest and began scanning before immediately stopping upon spotting Kane.

Kane tensed up as the old woman stared him directly in the eyes, before sneering at him and turning around, walking into the cabin and slamming the door shut.

 _'Yikes... Friendly, I see...'_

Kane shook his head and continued on his way. He was close to Hoshigakure, he could _feel_ it! The excitement and nervousness Kane felt gave him a burst of adrenaline as he took to the trees once more and launched towards the direction he assumed the village to be.

He was almost there. Almost at Hoshi. The village where he'd find his clan, if they still lived. The village he was supposed to have grown up in.

His home.

Kane smiled a large, toothy smile.

 _He was coming home!_

* * *

End of Chapter 31.


	33. Chapter 32

Really, he should've thought this through a little better.

Kane chuckled to himself at the thought. Really, he hadn't thought _anything_ through the past two weeks. He said to himself _'Hey, what if I abandoned Konoha?'_ and less than five days later, he was gone. So he shouldn't be surprised that he found himself staring out into Hoshigakure from the woods, contemplating what he should do next.

Hoshi was much smaller than Kane thought it would be. It didn't even have a wall! You could enter the village from any direction you pleased, and the village was surrounded by forest. The entire village couldn't have been more than a quarter the size of Konoha, if it was even _that_ big...

And this place was supposed to be the homeland of his Clan? The Uchiha Clan district was almost as large is this place... Hyuuga too, for that matter...

And they had no security whatsoever.

 _'This place is the slackest village I've ever seen in terms of safety... I'm a Genin and I can literally just waltz right into the village.'_

Then again, Akatsuki had done the same thing to Konoha.

Kane chuckled at the thought, before sighing as he continued to stare into the village from his sitting position on a branch.

He didn't want to just walk right into the village... What if he wasn't welcome? What if his clan wasn't here? What if they decided to capture him, and return him to Konoha for a reward?

What if Naibu was there?

Kane shivered.

It was nearly dark, the sun was already setting. Kane decided it would be for the best if he slept on it and mulled his decision over.

He turned towards a water source he knew the location of some ways away. He couldn't feel it right now, but he felt it earlier and knew of its existence. He would use the water to heat up another ramen cup before finding a tree to sleep in.

Wait.

Kane opened up his travel pack and rummaged through the empty containers inside before pulling out an unopened one. He dug for a few moments longer before grimacing.

Only one cup ramen left.

He hoped it wasn't cold tonight.

* * *

As Kane lay facing the stars, his thoughts drifted back to Konoha. He wondered if the others missed him.

He wondered if Kakashi hated him. The man always said that those who abandoned their friends were worse than trash... But, to Kane, he wasn't abandoning his friends. They weren't his friends, they were just... His temporary allies. Nothing more. Maybe they could've been more, but they left him behind. Now, it was time to walk his own path.

He wondered what Sasuke would think about his departure. He probably thought Kane had already kicked the bucket. His opinion of Kane had never been high, despite whatever he says to the contrary. Sasuke probably couldn't care less.

He thought of Naruko, and her reaction to him leaving. She'd probably be upset, unless...

Kane shook his head. Naruko would be upset. For sure! There's no way she...

But what if?

What if Naruko knew that Kane was her scapegoat all along? What if she just pitied him? Or worse, what if she was only treating him the way she did because she needed him? Because the village needed him?

What if, like everyone else, Naruko was using him?

No. Kane violently shook his head. Naruko wasn't like that. She wasn't! She wouldn't do that to him. Kane refused to believe it. He refused!

Kane closed his eyes and fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Kane had gotten lucky, and he knew it. The more he thought about it, the more he _really_ realized how lucky he'd been. He had essentially been stalking a _ninja village_.

Not the safest thing to do.

So, kane had finally made his decision. He was going to attempt to enter the village as a guest.

As he walked towards what he believed to be the entrance, he froze before quickly dashing into several trees nearby and hiding. He peeked out as he saw the same old lady from the log cabin the night before stroll out of the village, walking slowly.

Kane hesitated. He wasn't sure why, but he found the old lady interesting... She wasn't normal, Kane decided.

Maybe it was because she was so old, and yet her skin was perfect.

The elderly woman didn't have a single wrinkle on her. Her skin was flawless, even moreso than the beautiful redhead; at least he had a scar. This old woman had no defection to speak of.

And her eyes. Her gray, silvery eyes spoke of power. The woman held confidence in herself despite looking so feeble.

Kane didn't know why, but he felt a connection to this woman. Something about her seemed to call to him. It was sort of like that time the dead body in the Forest Of Death called to him, only the pull was much weaker...

But it was still there.

Kane looked towards Hoshi, and shrugged.

He could always check it out later.

He began following the old woman.

* * *

Man, but she was slow. It took Kane fifteen, maybe twenty minutes to get from the log cabin to Hoshi yesterday by tree hopping. Now, following this old woman, it's been an hour and they're barely halfway there.

He'd had thoughts of giving up and turning around. Why was he following this old geezer anyway?! He was being weird!

Still, he kept going, staying out of her sight but never letting her out of his. Something about the woman was _calling_ to him, and if there's one thing he'd learned from his Kekkei Genkai, it was that when something _called_ , you _answered_.

He sighed internally as he continued to watch the old woman take step after step, her wooden walking stick clanking against the ground in a consistent rythm.

* * *

Finally, the two made it to the same log cabin as last night. The woman entered the building, slamming the door behind her. Kane stood there, staring at the building stupidly.

 _'Now what?'_

Man, he really hadn't been using his brain at all these past few days...

Almost as quickly as the thought crossed his mind, the door slammed back open, and the old woman walked outside carrying a tin bucket. She began walking off, in the opposite direction of the log cabin.

Kane could sense water in the direction she was heading. He took a moment to close his eyes and enjoy the soothing feeling, however faint it may be.

The woman was probably going to fill her bucket with water, for whatever reason. Based on her speed, Kane figured it would take her at least twenty minutes to reach the water source and then return.

Rather than follow her, Kane watched as she disappeared from sight behind several trees. The entire landscape was pure forest, so he waited a couple of minutes before making his move.

Time to do some snooping.

Really, Kane had no idea what in the hell he was doing. Here he was, planning on breaking into an old woman's log cabin after following her for over two hours.

All he knew, was there was something strange about the woman, and he intended to find out what.

As he walked up to the log cabin, he was surprised to find the door just push open. It didn't have any form of lock or safety feature.

He glanced around quickly to make sure the woman, and noone else for that matter, were nearby before quickly entering the hut.

As he glanced around the interior, the atmosphere it emitted was... Strange...

The building wasn't very big. It certainly looked bigger from the outside than it actually was. A small fireplace connected to a chimney was located on the right side of the room, and in the far left and far right corners furthest from the door lay two separated mattresses. One had a blanket and pillows thrown on top of it, and the other was barren.

The cabin didn't have very much stuff. A small basin that was clearly supposed to be a sink, however there was no faucet. No water source. There were several dirty, nasty bowls thrown inside the basin as well. Several kunai pouches along with ninja wire, soldier pills, and several other ninja tools sat precariously on the only desk in the entire building, stationed between the two mattresses.

Really, the building could've felt quite homely, but Kane could tell immediately what made the atmosphere so strange.

There were no pictures lining the walls, no portraits, however there were skulls. No human skulls, thank Kami, but there were skulls of all sorts of different animals.

 _'I guess she hunted? I doubt she still does, so they must be pretty old. Kinda like her.'_

Kane snickered at the thought before walking to the lone desk in the room. He began looking through the different tools, before placing them back where they belonged. Nothing strange here, definitely nothing that could tell Kane anything about the strange feeling the woman gave him.

This was a stupid idea. Why was he doing this? He shouldn't be here. He was invading an old woman's privacy, and for what? His curiosity? A strange feeling she gave him?

Kane heaved a loud sigh before turning around.

And finding the old woman standing there, staring at him, the tin bucket filled with water and clasped in her right hand, the walking stick in her left.

Kane nearly jumped out of his skin, knocking over several tools as he flailed around, the tools causing loud clangs as they were thrown across the floor.

"Oh! Shit! I, uh..." Kane stuttered as his attention went back to the old woman. Her piercing gray eyes were looking at him coldly, calculatingly. He hadn't felt a stare this intense since Itachi Uchiha. Since Sabaku no Gaara.

Kane stared uncomfortably and in slight fear as the woman said nothing.

"Err... Sorry about that. I guess I'll just... Be on my way?" Kane said uncertainly. Wasn't she going to say anything?

Kane slowly began walking towards her, and he was almost certain the woman was going to strike him down the moment he got too close.

Still, he kept walking.

As he kept his body as far away from hers as he could, he slowly sidled passed her without ever showing his back to the woman and with a timid, uncertain smile, he exited the log cabin, her gaze never leaving him.

As the door closed, Kane stared for several long moments.

And then, he bolted.

* * *

 _'Kami, what the hell is wrong with me?! I just got caught snooping through a strange old woman's home for no reason...'_

Man, but she was quick. There was _no way_ she got to that water source as quickly as she did going at the pace she'd been going. Seriously, he doubted _he_ could've made that trip so quickly. He couldn't have been in the cabin for more than forty five seconds, and Kane knew there was no other water source nearby. If there were, he would've felt it.

Come to think of it, her bucket was filled... Why hadn't he felt the water from the bucket moving towards him?

Kane paused and considered this, before realizing he _had_ felt it, he just hadn't noticed because the amount being moved was so small.

That was something he'd have to work on.

Kane sighed as he took to the trees and began heading towards Hoshi once more.

* * *

He'd chickened out.

Kami, he was pathetic!

Kane reached the entrance to Hoshi before panicking. What if he wasn't welcome? What if his clan wasn't even here? What if they attacked him?

What if they returned him to Konoha?

Kane panicked. He fled from the entrance almost immediately, running towards the same spot he slept at the previous night.

Kane sighed as he sat on the same branch in the same position. It was still mid day, and he was getting hungry. He hadn't eaten since last night.

His stomach rumbled, but he ignored it.

Kane sat there, contemplating what a coward he was, and thinking once more of Konoha.

* * *

Kane sighed. He'd been sitting on the tree branch for hours, and it was already dark out.

He jumped down from the tree.

He was done being afraid. He was done being a coward. He was done being pathetic.

He was going to enter Hoshi, and whatever happens, _happens_.

No more running.

As Kane felt a surge of confidence, he took a single step before hearing a voice cut through the air like a knife.

"Well well well, look what we have here."

Kane whirled around to find himself standing before two ninja, both wearing the Star pattern on their headband.

"A Konoha ninja, all the way out here? Interesting." The same one said.

Kane froze and his hands flew to his headband.

He had completely forgotten about that.

"Ah, I'm not a Konoha Ninja! I'm a rogue!" Kane announced. Maybe he shouldn't go announcing that, but it couldn't be worse than them thinking he was an enemy ninja.

Both ninja looked at him in surprise.

"Ain't you a lil yung to be a rogue, shorty?" The second one piped up as the first one began laughing.

Kane glared at the two ninja, "No." he said flatly.

The first one gave him a sick, twisted smile.

"Good! Then you aren't too young to die, either. Give us everything in your pockets and we might let you go."

What? Ninja from a hidden village that wanted to _rob him?!_

What kind of vermin was he dealing with?!

Kane scowled, "I don't have anything on me. No food, no water, and certainly no money. Sorry."

The two scowled at him before the first one took two steps forward, "You're lying!" he scoffed.

"I'm not." Kane said emotionlessly.

"Let's just kill the kid." The second one said, and the first nodded before launching himself at Kane.

Kane whipped out a kunai and threw it at the man, and he pulled out his own before deflecting, never stopping his charge. He elbowed Kane in the stomach, and Kane gasped as he was flung several feet away.

As Kane landed on his feet, he saw the second one circling him quickly as the first once more charged.

 _'Chunin, for sure. Not fast enough for Jounin, but they're experienced. Shit.'_

Kane felt adrenaline pump through his body, and he quickly fell to the ground and kicked upwards as the mans outstretched arm, kunai in hand, sailed over Kane's body. Kane's kick sent the man's kunai flying through the sky, and Kane spun around, his face and torso facing the earth, before launching his body with both hands towards the ninja, planting both feet firmly onto the mans chest.

Kane landed as the man went flying and quickly whipped out another kunai, deflecting the three shuriken flying towards him courtesy of the second ninja.

Hey, that was pretty good! All that training with Naruko and Sasuke really did pay off!

Kane felt confidence surge through him as the second Chunin charged him. Kane quickly pulled a maneuver he'd seen Sasuke do to Naruko once, jumping up and placing both arms on the mans shoulders, and then doing a frontflip through the air. As his body came downwards, he gripped the mans shoulders tightly before dragging him through the air above him and throwing him onto the ground.

The man gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of him, and Kane proceeded to kick him in the face as hard as he could. The Chunin rolled before spitting out blood, and Kane's eyes went wild as he could feel the man, just like water.

He was getting quicker at this, he noted in the back of his mind. It only took two seconds before the man's skin was completely red and he began screaming. Two seconds later, the screams stopped.

Kane stared at the now dead ninja for several seconds in satisfaction, and the next thing he knew he found that _he_ was the one screaming as he collapsed onto the ground, a shuriken buried deep in his back.

Shit, he'd forgotten there were two of them!

Kane grimaced as he slowly turned around just in time to find the man's punch flying towards his head. He cried out in pain as the punch sent him spiraling back onto the ground right onto the kunai still in his back, embedding it even further into his body.

"What the hell did you do?!" The man shouted in horror as he stared at his deceased comraed.

"What the HELL did you do?!" The man screamed as he threw another kunai at Kane.

Kane closed his eyes. He was in too much pain. There was no way he was going to be able to stop that kunai from reaching him.

Was this how he died?

The sound of metal clashing into metal, kunai into kunai, reached his ears and his eyes snapped open.

"What?! L-Lady Yoku?!" The Chunin gasped in shock.

Kane turned his head and saw the same old woman from the log cabin, the very one that had just caught him snooping earlier today, walking towards them. The woman's gray eyes were locked directly onto Kane.

"You there, Brat. Do that again." She announced. It was the first time Kane had heard her voice. It had a hint of a rasp to it, and it wasn't very pleasant.

"W-what?" Kane asked as he grimaced slightly from the pain in his back.

"I said..." She continues.

The old woman launched a kunai towards the Chunin, and it just barely grazed his cheek, leaving a thin cut and small trail of blood on the man's face as he recoiled and gasped in surprise.

"Do. That. Again." The woman continued, her eyes finally leaving Kane's form and turning to stare at the Chunin, waiting patiently.

Kane turned his attention to the Chunin, who looked back at him in fear, a pleading look in his eyes.

Kane glared. As if he would show mercy to someone who just plunged a kunai into his back.

Kane began heating up the man's blood, and four seconds later, the man was dead.

The old woman stared for several long, tense moments at the corpse, before finally turning her eyes once more to Kane.

"Marvelous. You there, brat! Come with me." The woman snapped, causing Kane to jump slightly and the pain in his back to increase.

Kane stood up slowly as the woman turned and began walking away, the only sounds being the sounds of the forest and the gentle clapping of her walking stick.

"Err... I'm kind of hurting over here." Kane mumbled out, deciding he'd rather push his luck than walk with a kunai in his freakin back.

"Good. It's punishment for snooping around my home. Now come!" She responded in a no-nonsense voice.

Kane grimaced before following the woman, several feet behind her. He chuckled at the irony of it all; now he really couldn't complain about her being so slow, as he found he could barely keep up.

"Can you... Can you at least tell me your name?" Kane asked as he found he had trouble breathing.

The woman turned her head to look at him with a single eye, before turning back around.

"I am Yoku Sanguis."

* * *

End of Chapter 32.

A/N:

I've received several PM's from people that have become confused at the story. Apparently, Fanfiction is not updating properly for some followers due to being updated so frequently, and are finding themselves reading a new chapter without having read the previous one. Please note, I update TWICE per day. Please make sure before reading a new chapter that you are reading the correct one! There might be two chapters you haven't read, and you don't even realize it!


	34. Chapter 33

"Ouch!" Kane gasped as he sat on the empty mattress in the log cabin. The old woman, Yoku, had simply walked up behind him and ripped the kunai out of his back. She hadn't treated him in the slightest, only telling him 'If you get any blood on my mattress, It'll be the last thing you ever do'.

Thankfully, Kane was able to manipulate his blood to stay right where it was.

He was so excited! The woman told him her last name was Sanguis! _Sanguis!_ Had he finally found part of his clan? He'd been told they were all extinct! Did the Fourth lie to him again? Were there others?

... Was she his family?

Kane felt restless. He had so many questions!

The door slammed open as the old woman, Yuka, walked inside the cabin and made her way towards the opposite mattress. She began preparing to lie down, and Kane began fidgeting.

After several moments the woman finally turned to Kane and scowled, "Quit moving around and go to sleep, brat."

He jumped slightly at being addressed, "Err... I was hoping you could answer a few questions!" Kane said hopefully

"No." The woman said flatly as she finally laid down.

Kane gaped at her, his mouth imitating that of a fish.

"Tomorrow, we'll talk." The woman finally amended with her back facing Kane.

Kane smiled at this. Tomorrow! He could do that! He'd waited this long, what was one more night?

"Okay! But, um... What about my back?" Kane questioned as he cringed slightly at the pain.

"Like I said, you spill any blood on that mattress and it's over for you. Now go to sleep, brat."

Kane cringed before rolling over and lying down on his stomach. He guessed this would do, but he really felt that his wound should be treated...

The old woman's soft snores reached his ears, and he sighed.

Kane had too many questions, and sleep would not find him easily that night.

* * *

"You're no proper Sanguis, I could tell that the moment I first laid eyes on you." The woman, Yuka, spoke to Kane outside the log cabin the next morning.

Kane wasn't sure what that meant, but it probably wasn't a compliment.

"Ah, sorry. So..." Kane spoke uncertainly.

The woman glared at him harshly, "I hate idle chit chat. Here's what's going to happen... From now on, you will obey my every command without question. You will answer any question I ask of you immediately, truthfully and wholly. Got it?"

Kane just nodded dumbly.

"Good. To ensure that you _do_ listen to me properly, I'm not going to answer any questions you have unless it involves training. Every two weeks, you may ask one question. Got it?"

Wait.

What?

"Wait, does that mean you're going to train me?!" Kane nearly yelled in shock. The old woman cringed at the volume of his voice, and Kane flinched slightly.

He might've channeled a bit of Naruko, there.

"Obviously, brat. Now go ahead, ask one question and I'll answer it. _Only one_."

Kane gaped at her for several seconds before going into a thinking pose.

What should he ask?!

Only one question every two weeks... But he had so many!

Well, she said she would answer questions about training, so...

"Are you my family?!" Kane gasped out.

The woman narrowed her eyes at him, "We are both Sanguis, if that's what you mean. But that's not what you wanted to know, is it?"

Kane nodded slowly.

"No, brat. I am not your family. I had no children of my own, let alone grandchildren, and I was an only child. We are related, but only as distant clansmen."

Kane looked down sadly at this, before perking up.

She was still his clansman! And sensei now, too!

"Wh-"

"Shutup, brat." The woman interrupted him, "I said only one question. You may ask another in two weeks. Now come." The woman began walking towards the presence of the lake Kane could feel in the distance, and Kane was quick to follow her.

As he followed the woman at her slow pace, Kane piped up "By the way, thanks for healing me last night or this morning, Yuka-sensei!" Kane smiled. He woke up this morning and his wound was completely healed; she must've done it sometime when he was asleep.

Without stopping her stride, Yuka-sensei turned and gave Kane a curious, slightly annoyed look.

"What are you on about? I didn't do anything."

Kane blinked.

"Huh?" He said stupidly.

* * *

As the twosome stopped outside the large lake, Kane took a few moments to enjoy the soothing sensation the water brought him, closing his eyes in pleasure.

Yuka-sensei turned to face him, and Kane snapped to attention.

"Tell me, brat. What exactly is it you were doing last night?" Yuka-sensei asked him, curiosity and intrigue shining in her gray orbs.

"Oh... Well, I was going to head towards Hoshi, but-"

"No, brat. I don't care about that. What were you doing when you killed those two Chunin? Why did they turn red and drop like flies?" She snapped.

Kane hesitated. Shouldn't she... Shouldn't she know? Wasn't that the Kekkei Genkai of the Sanguis Clan?

"I was burning them. I was burning their blood from the inside out."

"And you need to cause them to bleed first, I take it?"

"Yeah. Or they have to already be injured, either way really."

Yuka-sensei got a thoughtful look on her face as she rubbed her chin with her free hand.

"Marvelous. That's quite an ability."

"Err... Shouldn't you... You know... Be able to do it too? I thought we were... I don't know, the same or something?" Kane asked with trepidition.

Yuka-sensei rolled her eyes at him, "We are, brat. But I certainly can't do _that_."

She smirked as she looked towards the sky for a moment, "Just goes to show that I was right, as usual."

Kane wasn't sure what she meant, but he piped up, "You said I could ask any questions if it was about training, right?"

The woman nodded at him, and he took a deep breath.

"What do you know about my Kekkei Genkai?"

Yuka-sensei gave him a strange, condescending look.

"I would think it would be quite obvious. It doesn't require much effort to figure it out."

Kane paused as he let that sink in.

Obvious? Easy to figure out? A Kekkei Genkai that let him feel and manipulate water and blood...

Kane shook his head slowly at the old woman, and she scowled at him.

"Are you an idiot?"

Kane glared in response, "No. I just haven't figured it out yet."

Yuka-sensei rolled her eyes slowly and deliberately, before quicker than Kane could follow whipped out a kunai and plunged it into the center of her left arm. She pulled the kunai out of her arm and blood began flowing out of her arm and floating in the air between the two.

Kane gaped in amazement. So he wasn't alone! There were others like him! He knew it had to be a Sanguis thing! He wasn't just some freak!

Kane smiled widely at the woman as she raised a delicate eyebrow at him. He realized she was waiting for a response, and he shook his head.

"I still don't really understand it, if I'm being honest."

"What kind of nonsense is this? Were you dropped on your head as a child?" Yuka-sensei scolded him, clearly frustrated at his apparent ineptitude.

"No! I just don't understand what it is! Please, just... Just explain it to me." Kane said with frustration and then desperation.

"It's Chi Sosa. Blood Release. I don't see what's so complicated about it."

Kane paused.

That...

That didn't make any sense.

If his Kekkei Genkai was Blood Release, then why could he do it with water? In fact, his first interaction was with water, not blood...

"Quit messing with me, Yuka-sensei. What is it really?"

The old woman's face turned to one of fury, "What are you on about, boy?"

Kane raised the water from the lake behind the woman and it quickly darted around her and began flowing around him, a small tendril gently caressing his cheek as it did so. Kane raised an eyebrow at her expectantly, and was surprised when her face showed pure shock.

"I... What the hell is this?" Yuka-sensei continued to stare, completely flabbergasted.

"Err... It's my Kekkei Genkai?" Kane spoke uncertainly.

The two continued standing there in pure silence for several long, tense moments.

Then, Yuka-sensei threw her head back and _laughed_. It was a disgusting sound, Kane would admit, hearing the old woman's raspy voice screeching through the air.

"I knew it! I knew I was right! You were wise to heed this old woman's words, Braenaru!" The woman continued to cackle madly, as if she'd completely lost her mind. Kane just stared in shock and awkwardness as he waited for her to calm down.

"You can control the water as well, brat?!" She finally snapped as she got a hold of herself. Kane only nodded in response.

"This is the first time this has ever happened in the Sanguis Clan. Not only can you boil the blood, you can control the water, too! Can you also heat up the water?!" Kane nodded once more, and the grin on the old crow's face turned vicious.

"Marvelous! I knew you were worth the risk! You are truly fascinating!"

Risk?

What risk?

"Tell me, child. I'm curious. Do you feel anything at all when controlling the water?"

Kane nodded once more, a grin arising on his face. He was more than happy to tell her all about the water!

"Yes! Water is quite soothing! It's calm, relaxing, gentle, nurturing..." Kane smiled fondly as he grew lost in thought. The weird feelings water gave him when he was in Konoha was the only thing that he could truly say went _right_ for him. Even though recently the hated weight had returned, he would suffer through that if it meant he could keep the gentleness the water also gave him.

Kane gasped as a hand connected to his cheek and he went spiraling down towards the earth. He glanced up in shock at the woman's outstretched hand as he gripped his already red cheek.

"None of that! That was the most disgusting thing I've ever heard come out of a Sanguis' mouth! Never speak of that again!" The woman flared her nostrils as she glared at him.

Kane glared back, but nodded slowly. He wouldn't speak of it around her anymore, but he'd be _damned_ if he wasn't going to continue appreciating it.

As Kane got to his feet, he realized he'd forgotten something. Something important!

"Ah, Yuka-sensei, I'm so sorry! I never properly introduced myself! My name-"

"I know who you are, brat." She dismissed immediately. Kane gave her a look of shock, and she snorted.

"It's not hard to know who you are. You are Kane Sanguis, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko, Ninja of The Hidden Leaf Village."

"Ex-ninja." Kane clarified with reluctance.

"I know all about you, brat. More than you realize. Now come!" The woman snapped at him causing him to jump. It would take some time getting used to his new sensei's rough demeanor.

As Kane followed the woman, he realized they were heading back towards the log cabin.

"Wait, why are we heading back? What did we even come out here for?"

"Simple, brat. I've deemed you worthy. When I said I would train you, I didn't really mean it... Now, things have changed. You will be the one to redeem us!"

Kane gave Yuka-sensei's back a confused look as he continued to follow her.

"What were you going to do originally?"

"Murder you."

* * *

As Kane was about to enter the log cabin, the woman stopped his momentum by poking him in the chest with her walking stick.

"No. I made an exception last night, but I will _not_ allow a Leaf Village headband into my house. Fix it." The woman stared at him with her cold gray eyes, and Kane slowly pulled the headband from off his forehead.

He stared at the headband for several moments before a kunai was thrust into his vision.

He carefully gripped the kunai from the old woman's outstretched hand, and stared at his headband once more.

This was the symbol of his allegiance to Konoha. This was proof that he'd graduated the academy. This was the item that granted him the title of Shinobi.

This was the first step on his journey with Team 7.

Kane glanced up at Yuka-sensei to find the old crow staring at him harshly, waiting to see what he'd do.

He glanced back down at the headband.

And drew the blade across it.

* * *

End of Chapter 33

A/N:

I've received several PM's from people that have become confused at the story. Apparently, Fanfiction is not updating properly for some followers due to being updated so frequently, and are finding themselves reading a new chapter without having read the previous one. Please note, I update TWICE per day. Please make sure before reading a new chapter that you are reading the correct one! There might be two chapters you haven't read, and you don't even realize it!


	35. Chapter 34

_"Leaf Hurricane!"_

 _'Shit!'_ Sasuke Uchiha thought as he quickly ducked, Rock Lee spinning passed him.

He turned, panting, as his triple-tomoed Sharingan eyes stared down his two opponents. Lee stood off to one side, and Naruko off to the other, the three forming a triangle and glaring at each other.

"Excellent dodge, Sasuke-kun! Now, let's see how you deal with _this!_ " Lee screamed as he charged him once more.

"Hm. It's good to see you're doing well." Came a calm, low, slightly cold voice. Rock Lee tripped as he screamed in shock at the unexpected voice, collapsing on his face halfway towards Sasuke.

As Lee slowly got to his hands and knees, the three ninja turned towards the newcomer. Naruko suddenly squeeled in shock and happiness as the two boys' mouths dropped open.

"Gaara!" Naruko sprinted towards the redhead before glomping him, his two siblings standing at his sides and staring at the blonde in shock.

Gaara gave a small smile as he slowly returned the hug, "It's good to see you too, Naruko Namikaze."

Rock Lee appeared behind the blonde before saluting towards the redhead.

"Sabaku no Gaara! It is an honor to meet you once again!"

Gaara nodded towards him as Naruko let him go and took a small step back, his eyes glancing down Rock Lee's left arm and leg.

"I see you've healed up quite nicely."

Rock Lee saluted once more, "Yes! I am not fully healed, however I am able to begin training once more! In just a few short weeks I should be back in peak condition!"

Gaara nodded his head in approval as Sasuke stepped up as well.

"Sabaku."

"Uchiha."

"What are we, chopped liver?" Kankuro finally chimed in as he and Temari stood awkwardly behind their brother.

"Naruko, will you walk with me? I wish to speak with you in private." Gaara asked politely towards the blonde.

"Of course ttebayo!" Naruko cheered as the two made their way off alone.

The four remaining members stared at each other awkwardly for a few seconds.

"Hey, makeup boy, want to get your ass kicked?" Sasuke asked uncharacteristically. Perhaps he'd been spending too much time with Naruko, he thought dryly.

"What'd you call me?!" Kankuro responded with a tic mark on his forehead.

"YOOOOSH! LET US STOKE THE FIRES OF OUR YOUTH!"

Temari just sighed.

* * *

"Akatsuki."

Minato Namikaze closed his eyes as he sat in his office chair, deep in thought.

"And you're sure their goal is to collect the nine biju?"

"I can guarantee it." Jiraiya of the Sannin responded.

"I don't know what they intend to do with the biju, but what I _do_ know is that they need to collect all nine, and they aren't ready yet."

"How long?" Minato asked as his eyes snapped open.

"Two and a half, maybe three years."

The two legendary ninja sat in contemplative silence for several moments.

"There's more." Jiraiya finally spoke up.

Minato's eyes flashed to his, encouraging him to continue with a single nod.

"Whenever a biju is extracted, the host... They _die._ "

Minato sighed loudly, "Of course they do."

"Word has spread quickly about the nine tails Jinchuriki abandoning Konoha. I wouldn't be surprised it every major Kage has been directly informed already."

Minato frowned at this.

Jiraiya frowned as well before continuing, "Konoha needs the 9 tails, it's the only Jinchuriki we've got... That being said, your status as the Yellow Flash should be enough to keep people wary of Konoha enough that it won't effect trade agreements too much, but we still need to get the brat back. You won't be around forever, whereas a Jinchuriki can be passed on to future generations."

"I know." Minato responded. It was nothing he hadn't already considered.

Minato sometimes felt guilt and shame at never revealing the truth to his old sensei, and it wasn't as if he didn't know the man was excellent at keeping secrets, but the less people that knew, the better.

You didn't keep something a secret by telling people about it.

"I'm heading out of the village soon." Jiraiya announced, and Minato found he wasn't surprised in the slightest.

"Where to?"

"I don't know yet. I need to find out more about the Akatsuki, and what their overall plan is. I thought about maybe bringing Naruko along with me, but I think it would be safer for her to stay here with you. Besides, you can teach her more than I can at this point."

Minato nodded in agreement. He'd prefer Naruko stayed too, even if it was mostly for selfish reasons.

"While I'm gone, I'll keep an eye and ear out for the Jinchuriki brat. If I find him, I'll be sure to send him back. Perhaps I'll even gift-wrap him." Jiraiya said thoughtfully as he tapped his chin.

"Don't hurt Kane-kun, Jiraiya-sensei. He's just lost his way... He's not a bad kid."

"Maybe not, but he hurt my goddaughter, and I'm pretty sure I warned him about that."

* * *

"What do you want?" Shikamaru drawled as the girl sat in the seat in front of him. Shikamaru was busy solving a solution to a complicated problem on the Shogi board that Asuma presented to him.

"Well, isn't that just the loveliest greeting a girl can receive." Temari responded sarcastically.

"Ehh? I'm busy, as you can see." Shikamaru replied as his eyes finally left the board to stare at Temari in annoyance.

"Hmph. Yeah, so busy."

"What're you doing here anyway? I thought you were back at the Sand."

"I was, but my brothers and I are here on a mission."

"Oh man Gaara's back? Man what a drag... That guy's such a freak."

Temari's eyes showed pure rage at the comment, "Don't you dare speak about Gaara like that! You have no right!"

Shikamaru looked at the girl in shock. He thought she hated her brother, at least he assumed so based on their interactions.

"Sorry."

Temari relaxed slightly, "It's fine. Don't do it again."

Shikamaru nodded quietly.

"So you came all the way out here for a mission? Why?"

Temari sighed at this, "Gaara wanted us to. He wanted to see Naruko Namikaze again... I think he wanted to talk to her about her teammate."

"You mean Kane? Kane Sanguis? What would a guy like Gaara want to talk about him for?" Shikamaru asked in confusion.

"Beats me, but here we are."

Shikamaru frowned as he looked back at the Shogi board. The news of Kane's Jinchuriki status had spread like wildfire, and if the rumors were to be believed then Gaara was one as well. Shikamaru figured that could be the only possible reason someone like Gaara would take any sort of interest in a guy like Kane.

"So what's he like?" Temari asked.

"Who?"

"Kane. My brother was so fascinated with him when we first came here, and I never did figure out why. I mean, maybe it had to do with his... Situation, but I never really got any details. So what's his deal?"

Shikamaru's frown deepened, "I don't know, if I'm being honest. I never really spoke to the guy that much... He was always just... I don't know, background I guess. Unimportant. Not really worth noticing."

Temari frowned at this, "Anybody that Gaara takes interest in can't be anything but important."

"I don't know. I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't."

Shikamaru sighed deeply at this.

"Maybe that's part of the problem. Kane was holding a demon inside of him, and I never even suspected. The guy mostly kept to himself. Maybe if I had been a better comrade, or even a better classmate, I could've seen that something was off about him. Maybe I could've stopped him from leaving."

Temari said nothing as she continued watching him. He glanced up at her before quickly clearing the board.

"Want to play?"

"Sure."

* * *

"So what're you doing here Gaara? Not that I'm not happy to see you! It's awesome seeing you again ttebayo!" Naruko spoke with enthusiasm as the two walked along an emptry training grounds.

Gaara gave the girl a small, fond smile, "We are on a delivery mission for Suna. It was a simple delivery of a message for your Hokage, well below our status, but I asked specifically for this mission."

"Wait, well below your status? Aren't you still a Genin?" Naruko asked in confusion.

Gaara shook his head, "I'm a Chunin."

"What?! How?! The next Chunin Exams aren't for months!" Naruko asked in shock.

"They made a special exception for my team. Something about 'Konoha wouldn't know a Chunin if it stabbed them in the eye'."

Naruko looked outraged as Gaara couldn't help but give a small smirk at her reaction.

"How are things in Suna, anyway?" Naruko asked as she forced herself to let the comment go. Bunch of old farts didn't know what they were talking about, Konoha was the best ttebayo!

"Things could be better. We have no Kage... The Council are taking care of the affairs, and they're doing a pretty good job, but still... Suna needs a Kage."

Naruko hummed thoughtfully.

"So why did you want to come to Konoha, Gaara?"

Gaara's penetrating gaze struck Naruko, and she turned serious. He hadn't given her that look since their battle; granted, that was the last time she saw him, but still...

"I needed to come see you, Naruko Namikaze, and apologize for my past actions."

Naruko blinked, "Ah, it's nothing to worry about! You're my friend now, Gaara! Forgive and forget and all that!" She gave the boy a beaming smile.

He returned her smile with a small one of his own, before turning solemn as he faced forward.

"You saved me, Naruko Namikaze. You saved me from myself. You saved my from my loneliness. For that, I will forever be in your debt."

"It was nothing, ttebayo!"

Gaara didn't respond as he seemed to be in deep thought. It unnerved Naruko slightly.

His eyes slowly moved towards her own.

"But there is another you still must save from their loneliness, isn't there?"

Naruko tensed.

"I know the truth, Naruko Namikaze. I know you are a Jinchuriki. You told me as much during our battle, and even if you hadn't... I was already aware." Gaara replied seriously.

Naruko nodded slowly, "So you know that everybody thinks Kane's the..." she trailed off.

"The Jinchuriki? Yes, I know..." Gaara seemed to grow sad at this, which confused Naruko slightly.

"Gaara?"

"I am sorry, Naruko Namikaze. It was I who told Kane Sanguis of his status as a fake Jinchuriki."

Naruko tensed even more.

"I went to him before the finals, and I asked him why he had such lonely eyes. The same eyes I once held. He told me he was a Jinchuriki, and I told him it wasn't true. I told him he was simply a scapegoat for the Leaf Village. A scapegoat for _you_."

Naruko said nothing as the two came to a complete stop, Naruko's head facing towards the ground, her bangs shadowing her eyes.

"I am partly to blame for your Sanguis' abandonment. I will do my best to remedy the situation I have caused, but I know there is little I can do to make amends... I am sorry."

Naruko looked up then, tears in her eyes as she quickly wiped at them with her arm.

"Hey, it's alright ttebayo!" She announced with a dazzling smile that surprised Gaara.

"I don't understand." Gaara said with a confused look on his face.

"You're different now! And besides, he would've found out sometime... Really, it's okay, Gaara! I'm not mad! If anything, this is a good thing!"

"How is this a good thing?"

"Because, now you can help us bring Kane back!" Naruko said with fire in her eyes as she gave a little fist-pump.

Once again, Gaara was reminded of just how the blonde in front of him had changed his life.

* * *

Kane rubbed his naked forehead with his palm. It felt so weird not wearing a headband, he'd grown used to having one... Now, it was stashed in his pack along with his picture of Team 7.

Man, he sure was hungry. He hadn't eaten in... How long? A day? Two? He wasn't sure, but he knew Yuka-sensei had caught fish this morning and they were sitting in the cabin. She caught _two_ fish, to be precise, and Kane couldn't help but grin at the thought of food.

Speaking of Yuka-sensei...

"Wait, where are you going?" Kane asked as the woman began walking towards Hoshi.

"I'm going to inform the Hoshikage that I was the one who killed his two Chunin last night."

"What?!" Kane asked in shock as he ran after her, "You can't! They'll lock you up! They'll punish you!"

"Hush, brat. They'll do no such thing." Yuka-sensei snapped at him, causing him to falter slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a Sanguis. I can do whatever the hell I want."

"W-what?!"

Kane was like, ninety nine percent sure it didn't work that way.

"Why are you following me still? Get back to work, brat!"

"But all you told me was to practice my blood release! You haven't told me anything!" Kane was having flashbacks to Kakashi.

"That's because I have to go clean up the mess that _you_ made!"

"You told me to kill the second Chunin!" Kane replied with disbelief in his voice. It wasn't _his_ fault they attacked him, and _she_ told him to kill the second one!

"Quiet, brat! I said get back to work! Tonight, you practice your Chi Sosa. Tomorrow, we begin actual training."

Kane scowled as he stopped and watched her walk away. She had just admitted this wasn't real training!

Kane paused as he also realized what the rest of her words meant.

Tomorrow, they'd begin actual training!

Kane smiled a toothy grin as he ran back towards the cabin and immediately stabbed himself in the leg.

* * *

End of Chapter 34

A/N:

I've received several PM's from people that have become confused at the story. Apparently, Fanfiction is not updating properly for some followers due to being updated so frequently, and are finding themselves reading a new chapter without having read the previous one. Please note, I update TWICE per day. Please make sure before reading a new chapter that you are reading the correct one! There might be two chapters you haven't read, and you don't even realize it!


	36. Chapter 35

"The first rule of the Chi Sosa; there is Chakra in the Blood. This is the basic principle that applies to every situation. You _must_ learn this." Yuka-sensei spoke harshly as she glared at Kane. The two were standing in the forest, however the log cabin was still in sight.

Kane nodded, "Yes, Yuka-sensei!"

The woman nodded in return, "Good. Every Sanguis knows this rule by heart. It is the basis of our entire Kekkei Genkai."

Kane grew a thoughtful look on his face, "So is it the same thing as the Chakra Network?"

The woman scowled at him, "No, you idiot. They're completely different."

Kane frowned, "But if there is Chakra in the blood, and the entire body has a blood system, how are they different?"

"There are both. There exists a Chakra Network, and a Blood Network. Both are essential for life. Chakra exists in the blood, but the networks are not the same. Any other stupid questions?" The woman snipped at him.

Kane scowled, "No, Yuka-sensei."

 _'Still doesn't make any sense, but whatever...'_

"The second rule is not only a rule of Chi Sosa, but a rule of the Sanguis Clan itself. You _must_ recognize the purity of blood, and in particular the purity of _your_ blood."

"Purity of blood?" Kane asked in confusion.

"Yes. There is a difference between the blood of one person and the blood of another. Surely you've felt this before?"

Kane shook his head, "The only feelings I've ever gotten from blood have been... Less than pleasant. The best feeling I've ever gotten was almost bland. Neutral. Not really anything to it, I'm not even sure if I felt anything at all. Other times I've felt almost... Dirty. Like I was playing in the mud and needed to clean up."

Yuka-sensei scowled at him. He was starting to get used to her constantly pissed-off face. Well, kind of.

"Then you've never manipulated pure blood! You've only manipulated the blood of the unworthy!"

Kane raised an eyebrow at this, "So then what makes blood pure?"

"Blood is passed down from generation to generation, from parent to parent. The purer the bloodline, the purer the blood itself." Yuka-sensei explained.

"Then who's blood is purest?"

"The Sanguis Clan's blood you insolent child, who else?!" Yuka-sensei snapped, once again angered at him.

"Right... Okay then... Who's the second purest?"

"There is no 'second purest'. All blood is different; only the Sanguis Clan is the closest to true perfection, and even our blood has become diluted and corrupted throughout time. As you manipulate the blood of different foes, you'll be able to tell the difference between those who are pure, and those who are not."

"This all sounds like bullshit." Kane said flatly.

The woman scowled at him _again_.

"You _will_ recognize the purity that is the Sanguis Clan! _You_ are a Sanguis, and I will not have you desecrate and disgrace the name of Sanguis because you are _ignorant!_ "

Kane glared at her for that one.

 _'The Sanguis clan is the purest, everyone else can go suck it... Sounds just like the Uchiha and Hyuuga to me. Are all clans so stupid?'_

"The third rule of the Chi Sosa... The Blood Well is the essence of our power."

Kane looked at her curiosly, "The Blood Well?"

Yuka-sensei gained a horrified expression on her face.

And then Kane fell to the ground as she swung and hit him on the side of his head with her walking stick.

Kane gasped in pain as he gripped his head, "Why?"

"You _insolent_ child! How _dare_ you not even know of the Blood Well?! How _dare_ you be twelve years on this earth, and still not know of the Red Sea?!"

Red Sea? Kane was pretty sure that was made up. There was no such thing, not unless it was from a distant land Kane had never heard of...

Wait.

Kane remembered a time, after losing to Kiba in the Chunin Exams, where he dreamt of a red sea...

"Wait! I know what you're talking about! You're talking about the large, red ocean!" Kane quickly said in fear of receiving another hit to the head.

Yuka-sensei was, indeed, mid swing. She paused, her walking stick in the air before quickly placing it back on the ground to steady herself.

 _'What the hell is wrong with this crazy lady?! So I don't know a lot about it, why'd she react so violently because of that?!'_

"Ocean? If that's what you want to call it. So you've had the dreams, then?"

Kane nodded slowly.

She scowled, "Then how do you not know more about it?!"

"I've only ever dreamt of the red water once before, after I lost a fight in the Chunin Exams." The reminder of his defeat to Kiba was bittersweet to Kane, and he'd prefer not to think of it at all.

" _Once?!_ Kami-sama, where in the world did I find someone as worthless as you?! How in Kami's name can you be blessed with the most beautiful blood, and still be as ignorant as you are?!"

She paused as Kane's words seemed to catch up to her.

"Wait, did you say water?"

Kane looked at her uncertainly, "Err... Yeah, the red water. I was floating in it."

Yuka-sensei's gray eyes glared at him harshly with a hint of intrigue, "It's not supposed to be water. it's supposed to be _blood_. A sea of blood. The Red Sea."

Kane shook his head as he slowly got to his feet, "No. It was water. Definitely water. I remember tasting it."

Yuka-sensei hummed thoughtfully at this.

"Whatever. You know of the Blood Well, even if yours is... different. Perhaps it has to do with your ability to control water as well. Regardless, you know of its existence, which is something, I suppose... The fact that you've only been to it _once_ tells me you clearly have little to no battle experience."

Kane nodded at this and she huffed, "Some Kane you are..." She mumbled quietly. Kane gave her a strange look at this.

The woman was batshit crazy, no questions about it, Kane decided.

"Let's review, brat. Tell me the three principles of the _Chi Sosa_."

"Err... There is Chakra in the Blood." He stared at her uncertainly.

The woman motioned for him to continue.

"The Sanguis clan's blood is the purest of them all, and I have to be aware of that fact."

She nodded, and he gained a bit more confidence.

"The Blood Well is the essence and source of our Kekkei Genkai."

"Perhaps you're not as stupid as I thought." Yuka-sensei admitted.

Kane smiled at that.

* * *

"I told you, I _can't do it._ " Kane huffed in frustration.

Yuka-sensei looked horrified.

"How?! How have you survived as long as you have?! How are you not dead?!"

Kane glared at her before looking down in shame.

"How can you be a Sanguis, if you can't even perform basic Water Ninjutsu?! All Sanguis have the primary element of water, and most children have begun practicing D-Ranked Water Ninjutsu by the time they're eight years of age!"

"Well, I just _can't_ , okay?! I've tried everything I can think of! I can manipulate the water and even _feel_ the water, same as blood, but I can't perform any jutsu with it!"

Yuka-sensei stared at Kane, a calculating look in her eyes.

"Try it again."

Kane huffed.

And so he tried it again.

* * *

Kane felt extremely frustrated. All day, the two of them sat at the lake as he failed to perform even the basic 'Water Bullet' jutsu.

Yuka-sensei refused to tell him anything. No pointer, no tips, nothing. Just 'Again!' over and over.

At the end of the day, he was no closer now than he was before.

Kane huffed to himself as he and Yuka-sensei ate fish on their respective mattresses. Turns out, Yuka-sensei's secondary nature was fire, and so she had no need for a fire pit. She just placed the fish in the 'sink', and burned them until they were cooked.

They weren't the best tasting when cooked this way, that was for sure, but to Kane anything that wasn't ramen was heavenly. He'd grown sick of the stuff.

Kane glanced over at Yuka-sensei. The woman was nibbling quietly, apparently deep in thought.

Looks like talking was out of the question tonight.

Kane wondered how Team 7 was doing in Konoha.

His eyes glanced over at his travelers pack beside his mattress, where he knew the picture of Team 7 to be stashed.

He shook his head, dismissing the troubling thoughts that he knew were coming.

He didn't want to think about them anymore.

* * *

"Again!"

And so, Kane failed to produce the water bullet once more.

Three days. Three days they've been at it. By the end of the day today, they will have spent _3 freaking days_ doing this.

If he wanted to waste his time, he would've stayed with Kakashi.

Still, the last thing Kane wanted to do was ruin this. He still had so many questions to ask the woman, and he knew he could still learn much from her.

So, he kept his mouth shut and obeyed.

"Stop!"

Kane froze. It was the first word in three days he'd heard that wasn't 'again'.

Yuka-sensei walked closer towards him, and stood next to him.

"Tell me what you see." She demanded.

"Wh-"

Before Kane could even ask, the woman shot a giant fireball across the lake.

Kane stared in confusion before turning back to her. She had an expectant look on her face.

"A fireball?"

She nodded.

He stared.

Then, she grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip and squeezed, digging into his flesh with her fingernails. He gasped as she drew blood, and she released him as several drops began floating in the air.

The blood droplets floated until they were resting between the two as Kane nurtured his injured arm.

"Now what do you see?" Yuka-sensei asked.

"... Blood?"

"You see my _Chi Sosa_. Not jutsu. Not elemental affinity. Chi Sosa. My Kekkei Genkai."

Kane nodded slowly.

"So what does that tell you?"

Kane stared at her like she'd gone crazy. Yuka-sensei scowled at him.

"Think about it."

So Kane thought about it.

 _'A fireball jutsu... and then her blood release... Okay... What? What the hell is she trying to say?'_

Kane shook his head slowly at her, and her scowl grew even more fierce. Kane gulped and thought harder.

 _'She showed me elemental ninjutsu, and then she showed me her bloodline limit... So... What? Is she asking what the difference between the two is?'_

Oh.

"They're not the same?" Kane asked uncertainly.

Yuka-sensei's eyes lit up, "Exactly, brat! They're not the same! My bloodline is not the same as my elemental jutsu. _Your_ bloodline is not the same as your elemental jutsu."

Kane nodded slowly. He understood, for the most part, but he failed to see where this was going.

"So, if your Chi Sosa effects the water, then..." She prodded him, clearly wanting to lead him to the answer without telling him.

"Then... My bloodline is interfering with my ability to perform water ninjutsu."

"Yes! And what does that tell you?"

"... That I can't do water ninjutsu, because the water is already controlled by my bloodline?" Kane asked in horror.

"Exactly. You're not as stupid as you look, brat!"

Did that mean he'd never be able to perform water ninjutsu?!

"Does that mean I'll never be able to do water ninjutsu?!" Kane voiced the very thoughts that were going through his head.

"Hmm. Maybe. Maybe not." Yuka-sensei responded vaguely.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, brat, that maybe you can still use Water Ninjutsu, just _not at the same time as your bloodline._ "

Kane paused to process this.

The two were silent for several moments.

"Holy shit!" Kane yelled out, causing Yuka-sensei to flinch before scowling at him. Kane gave her a sheepish grin in response, "Sorry."

Man, he really did pick up some of Naruko's bad habits.

"So, brat, try turning _off_ your bloodline on the water."

Kane hesitated.

 _'Can... Can I do that?'_

He walked closer to the lake and stared.

Soothing. Relaxing. Calming.

 _'Err... I have no idea how, if I can.'_

Kane turned to face the old woman once more.

"I have no idea how to do that."

Yuka-sensei hummed before launching the still floating blood droplets at Kane. Immediately before hitting him, they stopped, and Kane realized _he_ was the one making them float now.

Wait, how did that work, exactly?

He'd have to ask her later.

"Make the blood stop obeying you." She demanded.

Kane nodded before glancing at the blood. Almost immediately, the blood dropped to the grass below. It was as easy as dropping something from your hands.

"Good. Now do that with the water."

Kane turned to the water, and focused.

...

This wasn't nearly as easy.

"I can't." Kane admitted with a frown.

Yuka-sensei hummed in thought, "Well, until you do, Water Ninjutsu is going to stay locked away from you. This is something you'll have to learn over time, I suppose."

Kane paused as a thought occured to him. When he first gained his Kekkei Genkai, the first thing he felt was the hated weight. Wasn't that _after_ he'd found out about his elemental affinity? Shouldn't he have been able to perform Water Ninjutsu before then?

 _'... No, I remember. I was learning the Tree Climbing exercise, and I had no clue how to even begin trying to learn water ninjutsu. By the time I was actually attempting to perform the jutsu, I had already unlocked my Kekkei Genkai...'_

Kane shook his thoughts away, and he gave Yuka-sensei a huge grin as he nodded.

He finally knew how to learn Water Ninjutsu! Sure, he couldn't actually do it yet, but it was a start!

"Thanks, Yuka-sensei." Kane spoke honestly and truthfully. It was one of the most generous things anyone had ever done for him; given him a helping hand, and guided him along the correct path.

Kane wasn't used to that. His whole life, he's done everything on his own. Now, he didn't have to anymore.

The caused him to feel a burst of warm affection for the old woman.

And the feelings immediately dispersed as she, once again, began sneering at him, "Don't thank me, brat. I have my own, selfish reasons for training you."

Still, Kane thought as he watched her walk away, Kane was grateful to her. For the first time in his life, Kane had somebody watching out for him. For the first time in his life, Kane had somebody helping him. For the first time in his life, Kane had somebody _teaching_ him.

Kane had a Sensei.

* * *

End of Chapter 35


	37. Chapter 36

"What happened to the Sanguis Clan?" Kane asked Yuka-sensei, completely serious.

He'd officially been training with Yuka-sensei for two weeks now. In that short amount of time, Kane had grown more than he ever had in two weeks under Kakashi. The woman worked him like a dog; the only rest he received was sleep. From dawn until dusk, she had him train.

For the most part, she forced him to work on endurance and speed. He found himself constantly jogging, sometimes sprinting, and had to dodge as she launched rocks at him faster than he could even throw a kunai. The old woman was strong, appearances be damned! Sometimes, she even made him manipulate water or blood through the air, telling him 'if you dodge a single rock, I'll throw them even harder. No dodging, only blocking' and he had to try to block the rocks she threw with the water or blood. Needless to say, he had received plenty of bruises and injuries lately.

Occasionally, every few days or so, she would leave for Hoshi. She never allowed him to acompany her, and always made sure he would be busy for several hours before leaving. When he asked to join her, she vehemently told him no. She told him to _never_ enter Hoshigakure, and when he asked why, she said 'because I said so, brat'.

Kane would obey. In the short time he'd been with the woman, he'd grown to trust her. Even if she _was_ kind of a jerk.

Now, two weeks had passed, and he hoped she would honor their agreement and answer his question.

Yuka-sensei looked at him curiously, "Is that your question?"

Kane nodded slowly. He wanted to know more about his parents... His family... But, he needed to know about the Sanguis clan, too.

"They're dead."

Kane felt as if time froze.

"They're... Dead?"

Yuka-sensei nodded with an eyeroll. Kane swallowed loudly before continuing, "What happened? Are there any others left?"

"There are only three left, brat, and that's including the two of us. There is only one other."

Kane closed his eyes slowly.

"Are you sure?"

She scowled at him, "Yes, you insolent child. I am very certain."

"The last Sanguis... What's their name?" Kane asked slowly, quietly. She stared at him for several moments in deep thought.

"Is... Is his name Naibu?"

She hummed thoughtfully, "So you've heard of him already."

Kane felt like a lump was stuck in his throat, every word was a struggle to force out. "What happened?"

"He killed them. Down to the last child."

Kane felt sick. What kind of monster would do such a thing?!

"Why?"

She scoffed at this, "Why? If you want to know, ask him. He _claims_ it was for blood purity, but he's a liar, always has been. He has another reason why he did it, but I don't know what it is. The fool won't tell me."

Kane froze.

Won't tell her?

"You know him?"

"Of course I know him, brat. I was his sensei."

* * *

At first, Kane felt betrayed by Yuka-sensei. But then, the more he thought about it, the more sorry he actually felt for the woman.

He didn't know all the details, Yuka-sensei pretty much refused to speak about it any further, but what he _did_ know is that she wasn't on Naibu's side. She didn't want their clan to be killed, let alone by her own student. This much, Kane was certain of.

It must've been hard, having someone you cared about turn out so terribly. She probably blamed herself, Kane figured.

That's why, he was determined to become the best student he could be! Kane wanted to become a man that Yuka-sensei could be proud of someday.

Now he knew for certain that Naruko rubbed off on him.

He smiled as he watched the old woman stare into a shallow part of the lake, before quickly slamming her walking stick down, and then retrieving a fish from the water.

 _He would make her proud!_

* * *

"Yuka-sensei?"

"What do you want, brat?"

The twosome were sitting in the log cabin on their respective mattresses. Kane never did get any sort of blanket or pillow, but that was fine with him.

He was used to not owning anything.

"I just wanted to say thanks."

The woman turned her head to give him an annoyed, confused look.

"Despite what you've been saying, I know you've been healing my injuries every night. How else would I be healing so quickly? I've always been a slow healer. So thanks, Yuka-sensei."

The woman stared at him like he was an idiot, and he began to doubt himself for the first time.

"Brat, I told you I wasn't the one healing you."

Kane stammered for a few moments, "Then how am I healing so quickly?"

She rolled her eyes, "Your bloodline. Sanguis' are always superb healers. Some have even compared us to Jinchuriki before, although it's not as effecient as a host's healing."

"But... But I've always been a slow healer!"

Yuka-sensei nodded at this, "As you should've been. Children born to the Sanguis clan always struggle to recover from wounds, especially serious ones, until they unlock their Kekkei Genkai. It's one of the earliest signs that the child has been blessed to be in our clan."

"So, how does the healing work then? Can I heal while I'm in battle?"

"No, brat. It only works while you're sleeping. And, no, you _can't_ heal from serious injuries overnight. Only minor injuries. It's an advantage of being a Sanguis."

Kane considered this for a moment, "So how do you know when you've unlocked it? The Chi Sosa, I mean."

She looked at him, again, like he was stupid, "How do you think, brat?"

Kane had the decency to blush, "That's not what I meant! I mean, how do you unlock it in the first place?"

Yuka-sensei looked thoughtful at this, "You have to meet three conditions."

Kane sat up on the mattress and gave her his undivided attention.

"One, the child must be ready to unlock it. This varies person to person, although most children don't unlock it until they are eleven or twelve years of age. There are exceptions, however. Naibu unlocked his when he was only five."

She seemed lost in thought for a moment, before getting back on track.

"The second condition, is that they must be pumped full of adrenaline. The only truly effective way to do this would be by doing a physical activity or being in the midst of a fight."

Kane nodded slowly.

"The third, and most important, is that there must be blood. Lots and lots of blood. The child must see the blood, and when they do, if they have met the other two conditions, they will freeze up. The child will be able to focus on nothing other than the scent and sight of the blood. Because of this, many Sanguis children never survive their first real battle."

Kane gasped in shock.

That was why he'd frozen up on his first C-Ranked mission with Team 7! He was unlocking his bloodline!

Kane smiled widely at the revelation. He finally had answer! That question had plagued him for months now!

"Are any children born without the Kekkei Genkai?" Kane asked curiously.

Yuka-sensei hummed in thought, "As far as we know, no. Then again, those that don't might be cursed to still freeze up in their first battle, and die before we ever even realize they can't use the Chi Sosa."

Kane nodded at this, "Has anyone ever _not_ frozen?"

She looked at him seriously, "Only one."

"Who?"

"Who do you think?"

Kane nodded. _Naibu._

"No more questions. Go to sleep, brat!" And she turned her back to him.

As Kane rolled over, he couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

He hadn't frozen up for no reason! It wasn't because he was scared, or weak, or useless! It was the exact opposite!

Kane fell asleep, the smile never leaving him.

* * *

That morning, a thought had popped up in Kane's mind, and he hadn't been able to let it go all day.

"Alright brat, that's enough. Your training today has been _pathetic_. What's your problem?"

Kane flinched slightly at that. He didn't want to disappoint Yuka-sensei! He just hadn't been able to focus. He couldn't stop thinking about someone.

He couldn't stop thinking about Itachi Uchiha.

The man had suppressed Kane so easily with Genjutsu. In fact, he had not only knocked Kane out for _days_ , but apparently he had gone through Kane's memories, if what he said was true! Kane didn't even know what he was looking for, or what he saw!

Not okay.

"I want to know how to deal with Genjutsu." Kane spoke resolutely to his sensei.

She arched a single, delicate eyebrow at him.

"You're out of luck on that front, brat."

"What?! Why?!" Kane asked in shock. It was the first time Yuka-sensei told him no!

"Genjutsu has always been the biggest weakness of the Sanguis Clan. You'll find very little help from me."

Kane frowned at this.

He'd just have to find a way to solve it himself, then! Just like he was doing with Water Ninjutsu!

He hadn't actually made much progress on that front... But still!

 _He would succeed!_

* * *

"I changed my mind." Yuka sensei announced as he stared at the woman in shock. Kane was at the lake, attempting to turn his Kekkei Genkai off, when Yuka-sensei randomly disappeared. Now, she was back.

And she was holding his headband!

"Hey, wait! What are you doing?!" Kane called out in desperation as he ran towards the old woman.

"I won't have this filth, even if it's been damaged, inside my cabin any longer!" Yuka-sensei said as she continued walking towards the lake. Kane realized immediately what she was going to do.

 _'She's throwing my headband into the lake!'_

Kane didn't know _why_ this was such a big deal to him, all he knew was he didn't want her to do it.

"Stop! Give that back!" Kane snapped angrily as he ran towards her.

As he got within several feet of the woman, she launched the headband out across the lake.

 _'Kami, that's one hell of a throw!'_ Kane thought in shock as the headband soared through the air before landing in the water far away with a resounding _'ker-plunk!'_

Kane glared at the woman, and she turned to smirk at him haughtily.

Her smirk gave way to annoyance as a large tether of water, exactly where the headband landed, slithered its way into the air and launched at the two. Kane outstretched his hand as the water dropped the headband into his palm, his eyes and annoyed look never leaving Yuka-sensei.

"Get rid of it, brat!"

"Fine! But let _me_ do it!"

Yuka sensei turned and hobbled off, mumbling as she did so.

Kane sighed as he stared down at his damaged headband.

Honestly, he's not sure why he even bothered to keep it. He'd already ruined it beyond repair, scratching the leaf symbol out with a straight line.

Maybe, it was because it was one of the only two things left in the world that were truly his.

He had three, once upon a time.

The image of a portrait before it was smashed into pieces conjured itself in Kane's head, and he grimaced.

 _'Jane...'_

 _No._

He would _not_ think about that.

Kane closed his eyes as the very same tendril of water, having not moved an inch, slowly leaned down and retrieved the headband from his palm. Kane watched solemnly as the tendril returned to the exact spot it was streaming out of, the headband going under with it.

Kane knew, by the time he returned tomorrow, he wouldn't be able to tell where the headband was anymore, as it would become buried beneath the sand and dirt at the bottom of the lake.

It would be gone. Forever.

And he was okay with that.

* * *

Kane awoke to the typical pain on his head. He had grown used to Yuka-sensei giving him his daily wake-up call by hitting him as hard as she could on his head with her walking stick. At least, he _hoped_ that was as hard as she could swing that thing.

"Get up brat, today we're fixing a problem that has been bugging me from the beginning." Yuka-sensei snapped at him, and Kane was quick to hop to his feet.

The two walked outside the log cabin, and Kane rubbed his eyes as her words finally caught up with him.

"What's that, Yuka-sensei?" He asked sleepily as he held back a yawn.

Yuka-sensei stared at him seriously, and Kane snapped to attention, wide awake now. She was always serious, and always glaring, but never _this_ early. She wasn't a morning person, so for her to be so serious meant that this must've been a big deal.

"Today, I'm going to show you the trump card of the Sanguis clan."

* * *

End of Chapter 36.


	38. Chapter 37

Yuka-sensei seemed... Tense. Cautious. It put Kane on edge.

"Brat, you told me once that you could keep blood fresh by heating it up to keep it warm. Was it true?"

Kane nodded, "Yes, Yuka-sensei."

She nodded back approvingly, "Good. Then do so."

Yuka-sensei pulled out a kunai and proceeded to cautiously, gently run the kunai along her arm. She did it so carefully that Kane wouldn't have even thought she was hurting herself had there not been a small, thin trail of blood following her path.

Kane had only seen the woman harm herself a couple of times, but she never hesitated like she was doing now. She seemed... wary.

The woman returned her kunai to the pouch on her waist, and suddenly thrust the blood through the air at him. Kane 'caught' the blood, placing it under his control, and gasped.

Excitement. Adrenaline pulsing. Ecstasy.

Kane had never felt so _energized_.

He stared at the blood in shock. It was the first time he'd ever truly felt anything that wasn't bland from controlling blood. It felt _good_. It was a completely different feeling than what the water gave him.

He definitely preferred the calmness of water.

Kane turned towards Yuka-sensei, who was giving him a pleased, smug look. She had clearly seen his reaction towards her blood.

Kane realized for the first time that he'd never actually controlled the woman's blood before now, they always used _his._ Or at the very least, she never let him control her own.

"Keep that blood fresh, brat!" She snapped at him, and he blinked back into focus before gently warming the blood.

"Sit." She commanded him, and he obeyed. He was finally looking _up_ at Yuka-sensei, rather than down, Kane thought with amusement.

Yuka-sensei was gently rubbing her thumb along the cut on her arm.

"The Blood Well is what, brat?" She asked.

"It's the source of the Chi Sosa." Kane recited.

"By the end of the day today, you'll have seen the red sea _twice_ , brat."

Kane's eyes widened at this before nodding.

"Maybe, after today, you'll finally understand what it means for a person to have pure blood." She quipped, still clearly hung up on that and refusing to let it go.

Kane wanted to roll his eyes, but instead just responded with a quiet "Yes, Yuka-sensei."

"The Red Sea is like a drug, brat. It's one of the most pleasant places in the world for a Sanguis, as you're surrounded by the very essence of blood, and the source of our Kekkei Genkai. Red Water, in your case." The woman lectured as Kane continued to keep the blood warm.

"Don't give in to it. If you do, you'll never leave. Enjoy it, respect it, but _don't_ submit to it. We've lost many Sanguis children to the Red Sea."

Kane nodded as she continued on.

"After you first visit the Red Sea, there is only one scenario in which you will find yourself summoned by the Blood Well once more... You need to purify your blood."

Kane gave her a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"I mean that your blood is becoming diluted. Whether it's a small or a large amount doesn't matter; as long as it goes beyond just a few drops, the Blood Well calls to you to fix it. To remove the foreign entity from your body."

"Okay... How do I do that?"

"How do you think, brat? You use your Chi Sosa to remove it."

Kane nodded. That made sense. Well, as much sense as anything has made since meeting the old bat.

"When the Blood Well calls to you, you _must_ answer. You can fight it off, for a time, but eventually you _will_ return to the Red Sea. There is no way around this. It's the greatest weakness of the Sanguis Clan's most powerful ability."

"What happens when it calls to you?"

"You lose consciousness, and you'll once more find yourself at the Red Sea. At the Blood Well."

"So... When, exactly, will it call to me?"

"When you introduce foreign blood into your system."

Kane's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

She scowled at him, "I mean, brat, when you _drink_ blood! Whenever a Sanguis consumes blood, they grow _stronger_. For a short time, that is. You'll find yourself faster. Stronger. Quicker reflexes. You'll even find that, since Chakra is in the blood, you'll have regained some Chakra."

Her eyes shifted towards the blood in the air.

"The purer the blood, the greater the boost in power. Don't bother drinking the blood of the unworthy; it may give you some strength, but it's almost never worth having to return to the Blood Well for it. Besides, drinking such filth is beneath a Sanguis."

She smirked at him then.

"My blood is of the purest pedigree, as I'm sure you can tell simply by using your Chi Sosa on it. Yours is as well, brat, even if you don't deserve it."

Kane rolled his eyes at that.

Yuka-sensei looked like she wanted to say something else, but was hesitating. Kane looked at her curiously.

"Is something wrong, Yuka-sensei?"

She scowled, "No, brat. Nothing's wrong."

The woman glanced at the long, extremely shallow cut on her arm and smirked.

"That'll do, I think. Alright brat. _drink._ "

"W-what?!" Kane asked in shock. She couldn't mean-

"I said drink! You are holding some of the purest blood on the planet, brat. Drink it, and then you'll understand."

That's _disgusting!_ There was _no way_ he was going to-

Yuka-sensei's eyes narrowed at him for his hesitation, and Kane gulped.

Kane brought the blood in front of him, and eyed it warily. He closed his eyes, sighing with reluctant acceptance.

"This is so wrong..."

"Drink!"

And so Kane drank.

His eyes snapped open as her blood entered his system.

 _Kami, he felt so_ _ **alive!**_

Kane felt like he was _falling_. Like he'd suddenly appeared thousands of feet in the air, and was descending towards the earth. Kane could've sworn he even felt the wind slamming into him!

 _Was this how Yuka-sensei felt?! All the time?!_

It felt _**amazing!**_

Kane felt like he could take on the world! Kane felt like he could take on Naruko, or Sasuke, or even Kakashi!

Kane felt like he could take on Akatsuki, or even the Fourth Hokage!

Kane felt so _good!_

 _What if he took more?!_

Kane's eyes snapped to her.

To Yuka-sensei.

 _She had plenty more to give! She should give him some more! Imagine if he drank even more... Just a bit! Just a little! Or even a lot! Imagine!_

 _He could forego all this training! He didn't need it! He could just drink her blood, and the world would bow before him!_

Yuka-sensei's eyes were locked onto Kane's stiff, rigid form. She eyed him cautiously.

 _When had she gotten so far away?! She was definitely standing closer to him when he was drinking! Was she running from him?!_

The thought both displeased and excited him.

She shouldn't be running! She should give him more! It wasn't fair that she was hogging it!

 _She was being selfish!_

"Well? Come on then, brat!" Yuka-sensei announced.

 _And Kane launched himself at the woman._

When had he gotten so fast?! He didn't even know what was going on! He was in front of her in an instant!

 _Everything was pure instinct._

The next moment, Kane was flying through the air. Yuka-sensei had knocked him away with a single swipe of her walking stick. She'd definitely never swung that hard before!

It didn't even hurt. He hadn't even felt it.

 _He knew she had been holding out on him! What else was she hiding?! He needed to find out! He needed more!_

Kane rolled, and by the time he had even picked his head back up to look at the woman, his body had already cleared half the distance between the two, charging for her once more.

Yuka-sensei swung, and he jumped, his body flying above hers.

As he found himself above her, Kane swiped at her head with his hand, intending on drawing even more blood from the woman.

 _That was why she'd been so cautious! She knew if he wanted her blood while she was bleeding, he could just boil her alive and take it! The woman had planned this!_

 _Stop! It wasn't fair!_

 _Just give him_ _ **more!**_

Yuka-sensei tilted her head slightly to the side, his swipe missing her by inches, and slammed her walking stick into his stomach. His momentum completely shifted and he found himself flying _up_ into the sky.

Where was water when you needed it?!

 _He could make her bleed if he had water._

 _He just needed to cut her, and it'd all be over!_

As Kane began descending towards the earth, he spun his body and did a downwards kick as he got closer to her.

She stepped to the side, and then knocked him away with a jab from her stick.

 _He was getting really tired of that stick!_

 _Why wouldn't she just_ _ **share?!**_

The process kept repeating itself. Kane would launch himself at the woman, and she'd knock him away. She didn't even look tired! Kane had been throwing himself at her for at least five minutes now!

Wait, why was he attacking her again?

As Kane rolled from another hit, he paused as he took in several gasps of breath and glared at the woman. Yuka-sensei stood there, the picture of perfect poise, her breathing steady as if she _hadn't_ just been fighting him.

"Are you done, brat?"

Kane felt dizzy.

"What's... What's going on? I feel..."

"The Blood Well is calling to you, brat. Don't resist."

Kane ignored her, trying his hardest to stay awake. The world was spinning, and he thought he was going to fall over.

Oh, wait, he already had.

* * *

Kane's eyes snapped open, and he could see nothing. Just pure darkness.

He turned his head, and red filled his vision.

He was floating in the red water. The 'Red Sea'.

It all came crashing back into him.

He'd attacked Yuka-sensei.

Kane felt sick to his stomach. He _attacked_ Yuka-sensei!

Then, he relaxed, and all was right in the world. Everything was fine. Everything was _wonderful_. How could anything be wrong, when he was here, with all of this beautiful, crimson water? It soothed him, calmed him. Everything would be alright.

Kane closed his eyes.

This truly was paradise.

His eyes snapped open and he gasped as he shot up. This was what Yuka-sensei warned him about!

Kane stood up, glancing around for the very first time. The sky was pitch black, not a single star or light in the sky. Even the moon was nowhere to be found. The only source of light came from the ocean of red he was now standing on, and he wasn't sure _where_ exactly the light was coming from.

Kane heard what sounded like a running waterfall. Last time he'd been here, hadn't it been completely silent? He wasn't positive of that, but he was pretty sure.

Kane turned around until he found the source of the noise, and gaped.

From what seemed like an endless abyss of darkness that was the sky, a waterfall of red blood was pouring down and into the red ocean. Kane walked towards it, and for the first time realized he could feel both the sea and the blood.

They were mixing, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling.

 _'What am I supposed to do...?'_

Chi Sosa.

Kane controlled the blood falling through the sky and the blood that he could feel inside the ocean, and forced it all to stop. Then, he forced it all towards the endless abyss of the sky, and watched as it slowly disappeared into the darkness. The waterfall itself seemed to have disappeared, somehow, as no new blood fell from the sky. He had no idea where any of it went, but it was gone.

Kane raised an eyebrow. That was surprisingly easy. He looked around at the great ocean, and wondered what he was supposed to do next.

He never got an answer to that question, as his world went dark once more.

* * *

Kane opened his bleary eyes to find he was on his mattress. A blanket was thrown across his body, and his head was on a soft, cushiony pillow.

"What?" He asked aloud, his mind struggling to comprehend the situation.

"You're awake, brat. About time." Yuka-sensei's raspy voice cut through the air like a knife.

Kane sat up to find the woman walking towards him.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Exactly what I said would happen, brat." She snipped back.

"You... You knew I would go crazy! You knew I would attack you!" Kane accused, disbelief coloring his voice.

"Of course I knew, brat. This isn't new stuff to me." She replied as if he were slow. Maybe she thought he was.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because then you would've hesitated even more! A Sanguis should never hesitate!"

He scowled at her, before his face turned into one of remorse.

"Yuka-sensei, I-"

"Don't you _dare_ apologize, brat! For the first time, you looked like a true Sanguis out there! _Never_ apologize for that!" She cut him off. Kane wasn't sure, but he could've sworn he detected a hint of pride in her voice.

The thought filled Kane with joy.

As the woman set a plate with a cooked fish down in front of him, Kane smiled widely as he dug into the food.

He watched the old woman's back as she cleaned a dish with water from the tin bucket, a fond smile on his face.

 _She really did care._

"Yuka-sensei?"

"Hmm?"

"I 'purified' my blood, just like you said."

She snorted, her back still towards him, "Obviously, brat."

"What would happen if I didn't do it? What if I just... Let the blood mix with the water, err, the ocean?"

The woman stopped, dropped the plate and began walking towards him.

Kane stopped eating and froze up. She looked _serious_.

"Let me put this into words you can understand, _child_."

The two stared into each others eyes, blue meeting silver-gray.

"Nearly everyone who has done that, has died immediately after. There is only _one_ person that has ever survived doing such a thing."

Kane felt tense, as if the atmosphere could be cut with a swing of a kunai.

"That person slaughtered our entire clan two days later."

* * *

End of Chapter 37


	39. Chapter 38

Kane opened bleary eyes to the sight of Yuka-sensei standing above him. Kane groaned, gripping his head where the woman had hit him repeatedly with her walking stick, and closed his eyes once more.

"What the hell is wrong with you, brat?"

Kane said nothing as his head continued to pulsate in pain.

"I asked you a question, _brat!_ " And she hit him on the head once more with twice the force.

" _Rain._ " Kane mumbled wearily.

"Rain?" She asked curiously. There was heavy rainfall happening outside the cabin right now.

Yuka-sensei looked thoughtful for a moment, "Is this because of your connection to the water?"

Kane nodded ever so slightly, but it was enough for Yuka-sensei.

She grabbed him by the arm, and _threw_ him across the room towards the door. Kane gasped loudly in surprise as he landed on the ground in front of it.

 _'Oww... What the hell was that for...'_

But Kane said nothing, unable to voice his thoughts due to the pain and dreaded weight bearing down upon him.

"Go outside, brat. I'll not sit here and watch one of the last remaining Sanguis members become bedridden over a little _water_." She said the word water as if it disgusted her. Yuka-sensei may have found his ability to be 'marvelous', but she found his connection to it to be anything but.

"I can't." Kane mumbled out with great effort.

"You _will!_ "

And then she threw him out into the rain.

* * *

"How do you have such perfect skin, Yuka-sensei?" Kane asked one night.

She looked at him with interest, and for once Kane felt as if he hadn't asked a stupid question.

"It's because of our Chi Sosa. No Sanguis will ever have any sort of deformity or blemish on their skin. Well, not unless they want it, that is. A Sanguis will always look young."

"What? But you look old, Yuka-sensei."

The woman glared at him harshly, and he quickly backtracked

"I mean uh, you don't look... The youngest? I can tell you're not, like... Youthful?"

Had he just channeled Rock Lee?! Man, his social skills really did suck.

Yuka-sensei barked out a laugh, and Kane looked at her with wide eyes.

"No I'm not, brat. No I'm not."

* * *

"Yuka-sensei..." Kane mumbled, his confidence not the highest at the moment.

"What do you want?" She asked as she continued cooking the fish she caught them for the night.

"It's been two weeks... Will you answer another question?"

Yuka-sensei glanced over at him for only a moment before turning her attention back to her food. Kane assumed her non-response to be an affirmative.

"Will you... Tell me about my parents?" Kane asked uncertainly.

Yuka-sensei grabbed the two fish before placing one on each plate, and handing him one. She walked over before sitting down on her mattress, and Kane followed suit onto his own. Kane smiled fondly at the blanket and pillow on his mattress; Yuka-sensei had let him keep both after the successful training with the Blood Well.

"What do you want to know, brat?" Yuka-sensei finally acquiesced.

Kane's eyes went wide as he set his plate down, his full attention on his sensei.

"Tell me about my mother! What was she like?!" Kane bet she was a Shinobi! An amazing Shinobi! And a kind, gentle woman! Kane bet she had the same look in her eyes as the women he remembered from the orphanage!

Kane bet she gave warm hugs.

He wondered if she had loved him.

"Your mother?" Yuka-sensei's eyes glanced over at him with annoyance.

Kane nodded, "Did you know her?"

She nodded back, "Yes brat. I knew both your parents."

Kane smiled widely, "Tell me about my mom!"

Yuka-sensei scowled at him, and his smile faltered.

"Why do you want to know?" She asked instead.

"What? Be-"

"Because you're hoping I'll tell you she was a kind, generous, loving woman who loved you above everything else in the world?" She snapped.

Kane said nothing as he continued to stare at her, dread filling his chest at the turn the conversation was taking.

"Get those fantasies out of your head, brat. That's your Konoha upbringing talking. You're a Sanguis, and so were your parents. You're above such nonsense." She snapped at him as her eyes became cold, unforgiving.

Kane felt rage at her words, "You're wrong! Mothers are supposed to care for their children, and I'm sure mine would have loved me as well!"

Yuka-sensei barked out a laugh, and Kane cringed at the raspy, unpleasant sound.

"She was a fantastic Shinobi. One of the best, in fact."

Kane relaxed slightly, listening to his sensei's story.

"Your mother's name was Supea."

 _Supea._ His mother's name was _Supea!_

Kane couldn't wipe the smile off his face if he tried. He finally knew her name!

"She was a true Sanguis in terms of skill and talent. Too bad she was deranged."

Kane's eyes widened, his smile faltering, "What? What do you mean?"

"Your mother was a psycho. She always was, since the day she was born. Something was always off about that girl, and it became clear as she grew."

Kane couldn't believe what he was hearing. He refused! His mother wasn't crazy!

"You're wrong!"

Yuka-sensei scowled at him, "No, I'm not brat. She was a loose cannon from the get go."

"How could you possibly know?!"

"At age four, Supea was found out in the forest outside Hoshi torturing squirrels."

Kane froze, a disgusted look appearing on his face for a moment before he wiped it away.

"She was a child! She didn't know any better!"

"At age eleven, she murdered her younger brother, your uncle, who was only two years of age."

Kane felt like his world was being turned upside down.

"She would've loved me! I would've been her son!"

"She murdered her first born son, four years before you."

Kane recoiled, he had an elder brother?!

His mother murdered him?!

"Shutup! I... I don't want to hear anymore of this."

She scowled at him, "Fine then, brat. Who next?"

Kane closed his eyes slowly, still reeling from what he'd been told.

"Did I have any other siblings?"

"Other than the one that died? You had two. Two half siblings. You were the youngest of three to your father. You're the only child that survived from your mother, but your father had two others."

Kane nodded solemnly, fully aware he was speaking about people that had long since left the earth.

"What were they like?"

She scoffed, "Your middle brother? He was worthless. A mistake. No talent whatsoever, and he was killed by Naibu in one on one combat when he was fifteen and Naibu was only nine."

Kane cringed at that.

"Just because he was weak doesn't make him worthless!"

"Shutup, brat. Anyway, your eldest brother... He was something else entirely. A truly skilled ninja, that one."

Kane's eyes widened, "Really?"

She nodded, "Yes. He took after your father, most certainly."

"What were my brother's names?"

"The middle child was named Electi, and the eldest was Tensai. Your father always did have a habit of giving pretentious names..." She mumbled the last part.

Kane raised an eyebrow, "Pretentious names?"

Yuka-sensei shot an annoyed look at him, "Everytime you open your mouth I'm reminded of how ignorant you are."

Kane glared at her.

"Every child born to the Sanguis clan is given a name with a deeper meaning. Sanguis means 'blood', and every name given is related to it."

Kane's eyes widened. He hadn't known that!

"What's my name mean, then?"

She snorted, "It means Warrior. Your father named you the Blood Warrior. There's a reason I only call you brat, brat. You haven't earned such a noble name."

Kane leaned back against the wall. His father had named him 'Warrior'. He wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"What about the others?"

"Electi means 'Chosen', as in Blood Chosen, and Tensai means 'Prodigy', as in Blood Prodigy."

"What was my father's name?"

"Baenaru."

Kane's eyes widened. He'd heard her say that name before! So she really did know his father!

"Baenaru means 'Pathfinder', as in Blood Pathfinder."

Kane nodded at this, "What about you, Yuka-sensei?"

Her eyes narrowed at him ever so slightly, "It means Well."

"Well?"

She glared.

 _'As in Blood Well.'_ Kane realized.

Oh.

 _Oh._

That explained why Yuka-sensei got so mad when he didn't know about the Blood Well. She was literally named after it, and he came to her knowing nothing about it!

Kane decided he should try to change the subject.

"What about Naibu?"

"His name means Inner, for Inner Blood."

Huh. Interesting.

"Tell me about my father."

Yuka-sensei looked almost wistful.

"Your father was no genius, we all saw what a true genius was with the birth of Naibu, but before Naibu came along many considered your father to be one. The man was a true Sanguis, none could deny it. He was strong, he was traditional, he was dedicated, and he was a leader. There were calls to make him Hoshikage, once. He refused the position when it was offered to him."

Kane stared at her in shock.

His father _and_ brother were genius'?!

Kane found it hard to believe he came from a family of genius'. He was teamed up with two of them, and couldn't even begin to compare to Naruko or Sasuke.

"I'm tired of answering questions." Yuka-sensei declared as she took a final bite out of her fish. Kane hadn't even touched his.

"Eat, and then go to bed, brat."

Yuka sensei placed the dish off to the side and rolled over, intending on sleeping.

Over the next several minutes Kane nibbled on his food, but threw most of it away. He'd lost his appetite. He was too lost in thought.

Sleep eluded him that night, too.

* * *

"Hey, Yuka-sensei?"

"What is it, brat?"

Kane was manipulating the water with his Chi Sosa, and Yuka-sensei was simply watching him as he attempted to _stop_ manipulating the water completely.

"When I first arrived here, I saw you talking to a tall man with red hair. Who was that?"

Yuka-sensei froze and stared at him, her eyes growing cold.

"Ah, you saw him, did you?"

Kane only nodded, half of his attention still on the water in front of him.

"Well, congratulations then, brat."

"For what?" Kane asked in confusion, his eyes gliding towards the woman.

"You've now officially met every remaining member of the Sanguis Clan."

The water in the air dropped to the ground as his mouth fell open in shock.

"What?! That... That was Naibu?!"

"Yes it was, brat."

Kane stared at her in shock.

"But... But he had a huge scar on his neck! I thought you said-"

"I _said,_ Sanguis' never have any permanent injuries unless they _want_ them. Naibu chose to keep that scar. He said it was a reminder of the one and only time he'd ever lost a fight in one on one combat. He never told me who gave him that scar, and I never bothered asking."

Kane fell to the ground onto his rump, his eyes becoming vacant as he stared at the ground.

"Why? Why was he there? It looked... It looked like the two of you were on good terms. Why? He killed them. He killed _everyone._ "

"Yes, brat, he did. But not me."

Kane's eyes snapped to hers, "Because you were his sensei?" Kane asked bitterly.

"No, brat. Well, maybe... But the real reason why is because of _you_."

"W-what? What do you mean?"

"Naibu told me, in no uncertain terms, that as soon as he killed you he'd finish me off as well. But, until then, there was no point in killing me... I can't have children, I'm too old. I was already past child-bearing age by the time you were born. You're the only one who's a threat to his supposed reason for killing the clan."

Kane closed his eyes in pain, "So where is he now? Why did he come to you?"

"He's in Hoshi, brat. He's a ninja there, as all Sanguis are; well, all except for you. He comes and visits me every couple of years; although I think it's just to check if I'm dead or not."

"How? How can he be a ninja of Hoshigakure if he killed the Sanguis clan?!"

"Because, brat, he's a _Sanguis_. The Sanguis Clan have been the foundation of Hoshi since it's founding. The villages only clan, and strongest ninja. A Sanguis can do whatever the hell they want, and even the Hoshikage will turn a blind eye; they weren't about to punish the _last_ Sanguis ninja they had. Especially not someone like Naibu."

Kane closed his eyes. Why did everything around him always seem so screwed up?

"Get back to training, brat." She snapped at him.

Kane returned to his previous activity, feeling sorry for himself for the first time since coming to Hoshi.

* * *

End of Chapter 38


	40. Chapter 39

Three months. Kane has been training in the Land of Bears with Yuka-sensei for three months now.

Kane couldn't believe the progress he'd made in such a short time. He was faster. He was stronger. He was quicker. He was tougher.

And now, he was confident, too.

He wasn't actually sure how strong he'd become, but he knew he was _fast_. It was what Yuka-sensei focused on the most. _'If you're faster than your enemy, it'll be that much easier to draw blood. All you have to do is draw a single drop, and you'll have won.'_

He rolled his eyes at the memory. Not two days after saying that, she'd told him he _couldn't_ rely on that tactic. It was a _'cheap gimmick'_ and he'd undoubtedly come across enemies that he couldn't boil.

Kane thought she was crazy. _Everyone_ had blood. What kind of ninja couldn't he use it on?

Still. Kane would heed Yuka-sensei's warning. He'd always listen when she spoke. She was his sensei.

No, she was more than that. Yuka-sensei had become a staple in his life. A constant. Sure, the woman was crass. She was rude, she was abusive, she was sometimes downright cruel.

But she was his family.

And Kane found he loved her as such.

* * *

Kane stared in shock at the lake; Yuka-sensei situated behind him, a pleased smirk on her face.

"I... I did it! I actually did it, Yuka-sensei!" Kane whirled around and shouted at the woman, pure joy radiating in his voice.

"I can see that, brat. Well done."

Kane smiled a huge, shit-eating grin at his sensei. She had sounded _proud!_

Kane turned back towards the lake and tried it again.

 _"Water Style: Water Bullet!"_ And launched a small ball of water out of his mouth and over the lake, eventually dispersing as it flew further away.

Kane leaned back and laughed a truly joyful laugh.

 _He could perform D-Ranked Water Ninjutsu!_

Yuka-sensei stepped up beside him and frowned.

Kane's smile disappeared faster than he thought possible, "What's wrong?"

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, "You're performing the jutsu, but you're using too much Chakra."

Kane's eyes widened, and he suddenly realized that he _did_ feel really tired now. In fact, his reserves were almost completely depleted after those two water bullets.

"I am? How much?"

"Far, far too much brat. Six, maybe seven times more Chakra than I would use doing the very same jutsu."

Kane's eyes widened at that, and he groaned aloud.

"Of course I am. Typical."

"Well, you know what you have to work on next, brat. There's not much point being able to do Water Ninjutsu if it completely drains you doing so."

Kane nodded with annoyance at the situation he found himself in, but then grinned widely. It didn't matter if he'd come across another problem; he'd made _progress_.

He would continue to grow, and someday, he'd make Yuka-sensei truly proud.

* * *

If Kane had to guess, he'd say he was about as fast as Sasuke was during the Chunin Exam Finals. That was pretty damn fast, if you asked him. Even Neji Hyuuga had struggled to keep pace with Sasuke, and Kane was confident he could at the very least match him in speed.

All in all, Kane was proud of himself. To win a fight, all he really needed to do was draw blood. Kane was confident if you took him now and put him up against Naruko or Sasuke from before he left, Kane could hold his own. If he managed to land a hit on them, he might even _win_. He was as fast as Sasuke, his reaction time and taijutsu have both improved enough to where he felt he could handle Naruko's clone army, and all he had to do was land a single, simple scratch.

Kane's Taijutsu was good. Kane's Ninjutsu was a work in progress, but he was getting there.

And then, there was Genjutsu.

Kane smirked wildly at Yuka-sensei, and for the first time since showing her his water manipulation, the woman looked _truly stunned._

"Brat?! What the hell did you do?!" She asked in shock and awe as she observed him.

"I did what you said, Yuka-sensei. I figured out a way to combat Genjutsu." Kane smirked at the woman as he closed one eye in pain.

Kami, it _hurt_. But it was worth the pain. It truly was.

Yuka-sensei stepped closer to him, realization dawning in her gray orbs.

"I never would've thought..." She whispered in awe as she continued to observe him.

Kane continued to smirk wildly at her as he hunched over in pain.

Yuka-sensei closed both eyes, taking several deep breaths,

Then, she threw her head back and _laughed_.

"Well done, brat. Well done! You truly are becoming a marvelous Sanguis."

* * *

He knew he should've just kept his mouth shut. He _knew_. But, Kane wanted to tell her. Kane wanted Yuka-sensei to know how truly grateful he was to her for everything she'd done for him.

Kane wanted her to know that he saw her as the only person in the world he would call family.

"Family?!" She snapped at him, rage coloring her voice.

"Yeah! I mean, I know we're both Sanguis... But it's more than that. You're important to me, Yuka-sensei. I know you don't like hearing about emotional stuff, but... I just wanted you to know." Kane spoke unsurely. Several months ago, he _never_ would've had the courage to say such a thing to the woman.

But Kane had grown, and with him his confidence.

"How many times must I tell you to drop those foolish ideals of family and love and affection?!" She snapped at him.

Kane glared. He didn't care what she said. He cared for her, and despite what she claimed, he knew she cared for him too.

"Why do you have to be so difficult? We're the last of the Sanguis Clan! It's alright for me to care about you!" Kane snapped back.

Yuka-sensei looked horrified for a moment before becoming angry once more.

"Exactly, brat! We're the last of the Sanguis Clan! _You're_ the last of the Sanguis Clan! And you're ignorant of our ways! You're blasphemous! A Sanguis cares only for themselves and their blood heritage!"

"That's stupid! Why would I want to live my life that way?! No! I care about you, Yuka-sensei, and I know you care about me, too."

Time seemed to still for the both of them.

Yuka-sensei's eyes grew cold. Malicious.

Kane had never seen such an evil, cruel look in the woman's eyes before.

"Is that what you think, brat?"

Kane doubted for the first time.

Yuka-sensei walked closer to him before slamming her stick into his chest, knocking him back onto his mattress. He glared up at the woman as he remained where he was.

"You know _nothing_ of the clan and our ways. Maybe it's time I enlightened you." Her eyes were so cruel; as if she was about to take sick pleasure out of what she was going to tell him.

"How about I tell you the story of your conception?"

* * *

 _"Electi is a failure! That's all the facts you need to know!" Yuka Sanguis snapped from her seat. She was situated next to another, equally elderly woman, and a middle aged man stood before the two of them in the middle of a large room. The room held no chairs for sitting, no desks, nothing besides the two chairs the women were seated in._

 _"But Tensai is not! Tensai is a true Sanguis! Braenaru, my son, think of your wife! Calon would be heartbroken if you were to leave her!" Avia Sanguis pleaded with the man._

 _Yuka scowled, "Screw the girl's heart! She is a Sanguis, she knew what their joining meant!"_

 _Yuka turned her attention towards Braenaru._

 _"You lusted after the girl, and took her as your wife because of such. What would your father say, if he could see you now? He tasked you with finding the perfect match to create the perfect Sanguis, and you've spent your days flocking around with a girl because of her breasts."_

 _"It's a match of the hearts! Maybe it started that way, but Calon loves you, Braenaru! You must not leave her simply because of one weak child! Your first child was strong, and your third will be strong, too!"_

 _"Leave her, Braenaru. There is no room for love amongst the Sanguis. That alone should tell you of her weakness. Take Supea as your wife and lover, and create the perfect offspring."_

 _Avia looked horrified. "The girl is insane! Braenaru, surely you see what a terrible idea that would be! You mustn't leave your loving, beautiful wife for Supea! The girl is a disgrace to the Sanguis Clan!"_

 _Yuka scowled even harder, "A disgrace?! Electi is a disgrace! Your child is a disgrace, Braenaru! Supea is strong! She will give you the child you seek, Braenaru! She is the one that will create a child that can surpass even Naibu! A prodigy! She is the match you need!"_

 _Braenaru, having stood in the center listening to both women's words with eyes close, snapped his eyes open. Harsh, cruel cyan blue eyes stared up at the two matriarchs of the Sanguis Clan._

 _"I will heed Yuka-sama's words. I will inform Calon of my decision this afternoon."_

 _Avia looked horrified, and Yuka looked as if she'd won a grande battle._

 _"Yes, Braenaru! Dispose of Calon, she is only holding you back! Supea will obey you; you are the only person she would not dare lash out against!"_

 _Yuka leaned forward, a vicious smile on her face as Avia looked lost on what to do._

 _"Take your younger sister as your wife, and create the perfect Sanguis child!"_

* * *

Kane recoiled in shock and denial.

"I... You're lying!"

Yuka-sensei continued to smirk viciously at him, "No, brat. I'm telling nothing but the truth. You are the product of incest between two siblings. You are blessed by Kami-sama himself!"

"Blessed? Blessed?! I'm disgusting! I'm a monster!" Kane yelled out as tears filled his vision.

Kami, even his _birth_ made him a freak!

"Monster?! You are no such thing! You are the result of a divine marriage, blessed by Kami himself! That's how you are able to manipulate water! That's how you are able to boil blood! You are blessed, child!" Yuka-sensei raved almost fanatically.

Kane began shaking, the information too much for him to process.

"But you were not raised properly! Konoha has ruined your mind; and it's up to me to fix it! Had I known you would turn out so perfect, I would have done things differently!"

Yuka-sensei stared at Kane for several moments as he continued to shake.

"You think I care for you, boy? In you, I see the future of our clan. I see the one person that can surpass even Naibu. I see the potential for a true Sanguis."

She scowled at him, "But you are mistaken if you think I care for you."

Kane continued shaking, giving no indication he'd heard the woman at all.

"Did you know I wasn't the only one Naibu spared?"

Kane slowly opened his eyes to stare at the woman emotionlessly.

"He spared Avia, too. Your grandmother. I convinced him to." She smirked maliciously at him.

"Do you know what happened to her, brat? She tried to go to Konoha. She tried to find _you._ "

* * *

 _"The boy is in Konoha! If you go, you'll never be allowed to return!" Yuka snapped at Avia as the woman carried a backpack over her shoulder._

 _"He's become a Jinchuriki! They'll never let him leave!" Yuka continued._

 _"He needs to be raised! He needs to be brought up as a proper Sanguis! Would you have Konoha infest him with their disgusting ideals?!" Avia fired back._

 _"No, but I will not go to Konoha! I refuse to step foot in that cesspool!"_

 _"You don't have to, I'm going alone!"_

 _She scowled at her, "If I allow you to go, Naibu will murder me for it! I will not allow myself to be killed for some infant brat who's probably a failure to begin with!"_

 _"Probably a failure?! It was you who convinced Braenaru to conceive him with Supea!" She spoke back in disbelief._

 _The two glared at each other for several long moments, before Avia turned and began walking away._

 _"Goodbye, Yuka. We may not have always seen eye to eye, but I'll miss you. You'll always be my best friend."_

 _Yuka's eyes went wild. Best Friend?! And she was supposed to believe that this woman would raise Kane Sanguis into a proper clansmen?! The woman was weak, she always had been! Had it not been for her late husband, Yuka had no doubt that Braenaru would have become infected with the woman's weakness, too._

 _No, she would not raise Kane properly. Of this, Yuka Sanguis was certain._

 _In fact, she wouldn't raise him at all, Yuka decided._

 _Avia gasped in pain as a kunai found its way into her neck._

* * *

"You... You murdered my grandmother. My family. You murdered the woman that was coming to Konoha to _raise me_." Kane said stoically and without emotion, his eyes on the mattress he was laying on.

"Yes I did, brat. And do you know who punished me for it? _Nobody_. It's the way of the Sanguis Clan."

Kane said nothing.

"Your mother, Supea. Did I ever tell you what her name means?" Yuka-sensei asked with a vicious smile.

"It means _spare_. Your grandfather had a bit of a sadistic streak, and Braenaru was the perfect son. He had no need for another child, and the girl was unplanned."

Still, Kane said nothing.

"Do you see now, brat? Your ideals of love and affection... They're the brainwashing of the Leaf! There is no room for such things amongst the Sanguis. Learn this, and you'll finally be on the correct path towards becoming a true Sanguis."

He was wrong. This woman wasn't his family.

Kane decided he hated Yuka Sanguis.

* * *

End of Chapter 39.


	41. Chapter 40

Yuka Sanguis was many things. Cunning, intelligent, traditional, proud, cruel, twisted.

But above all else, she was loyal. Loyal to the Sanguis Clan. As one of the two matriarchs of the clan, she put the needs of the clan above all else.

It was for this purpose only that she agreed to train Kane Sanguis.

The smart thing to do would have been to kill the boy that day by the lake. Naibu would never have known, and she would have lived out the rest of her days until she died of old age. Or until the Kyuubi no Kitsune reformed in the world, confirming the boy's death. Whichever happened first.

But training him? Less than twenty minutes out from Hoshi, where Naibu lived? That was a risk.

A risk she was glad she took.

The boy had grown distant towards her. Cold. Ever since she told him the truth of his birth. How she is the reason his parents had him, how she murdered his grandmother, how she couldn't give a rat's ass about him.

She was pleased with the results.

The boy continued training under her, telling her that he despised her but wanted to continue learning from her.

It was everything she could've hoped for and more.

The brat was becoming a true Sanguis.

* * *

Yuka walked closer towards the the giant boulder. It was raining; _storming_ , actually. Thunder was crackling consistently and lightning flashed in the skies.

And there he sat. Kane. Sitting criss-cross on top of a boulder in a meditative position, his back towards her. In the middle of a storm.

The rain hadn't rendered him unconscious.

Yuka Sanguis had always been quiet. She was good at sneaking up on people and catching them unaware.

But she was unsurprised when the brat called out to her, "Yuka-sensei."

His back was facing her and she hadn't made a sound, and yet he was aware of her presence. Yuka was pleased by this; she knew she had been right! Everything the water touches, he can feel. The reason he kept falling unconscious when it rained was because his mind couldn't keep up with the information overload.

The rainstorm turned him into the ultimate sensory ninja.

* * *

Yuka gasped in shock as she fell to the dirt, a large cut appearing along her cheek and a thin trail of blood seeping out.

The old woman looked up into the cold eyes of her student. He had bested her in taijutsu once again. Yuka had little doubts that the young man in front of her could've taken her even when she was in her prime.

But this; this was the first time he'd drawn blood, however intentional that fact may be.

She stared into his eyes, knowing _exactly_ what he was thinking.

"Well? Are you going to finish me off or not, brat?"

Kane simply stared at her. He looked so much like Braenaru in that moment, that Yuka felt almost wistful.

He looked like a true Sanguis.

Kane motioned for her to stand, not offering his hand. She'd berated him enough times for that as it was.

As she slowly began getting to her feet, Yuka felt _searing pain_ throughout her entire being. She collapsed to the ground with a gasp, and as quickly as it had arrived, the pain disappeared.

She glared up at Kane, who was looking down at her with a smirk.

Cheeky bastard.

Yuka smirked back as she slowly got to her feet.

 _A true Sanguis!_

* * *

"Three times. That's your limit." Yuka announced as Kane panted by the lake, his hands on his knees.

"No matter how well you master a jutsu, the _minimum_ amount of Chakra you will use is three times what should be normal."

Kane nodded as he continued panting.

"You can use Water Ninjutsu, but you're going to have to be selective about it. You're going to run out of Chakra fast if you go throwing jutsu around, especially higher leveled ones."

Kane grunted as he stood up, "It's better than nothing."

Yuka nodded in response, "You can always rely on your Fire Ninjutsu, too."

The two of them had come to two conclusions. One, Kane could perform fire ninjutsu as well as anyone else. He had no issues with it, however it was his third elemental affinity and as such he was struggling to learn it. He had no issues any other normal ninja wouldn't have, though, which was a nice change.

The second conclusion they came to was that he had the same problems with Wind Ninjutsu that he was having with Water. He couldn't do it, and even she couldn't figure out why. It was troubling.

"Come on, brat. Training's over for the day."

Kane nodded and stuck his hands out. Several seconds later, two tendrils of water shot up from the lake, depositing a fish into each awaiting hand.

Yuka couldn't help but smirk.

* * *

"Have you decided, brat?" Yuka asked curiously.

The boy had come a long way from the weak little Genin that she saved from a Hoshi Chunin. Still, he lacked something important...

A purpose.

Kane trained, but for what? When she asked him this, he couldn't answer. He confided in her, reluctantly after some prodding, that his old ambition had been to become a Shinobi worthy of respect in Konoha. Maybe then, the village would come to love him instead of hating him for the demon inside.

Kane didn't care about Konoha anymore; or so he claimed. So what then, was he training for? He had yet to come up with an answer.

"Yeah. I've got my answer." Kane said stoically as he stared into the small firepit the two set up outside the cabin. It was cold out, and the fires warm embers did wonders for the old woman.

"Well? Let's hear it, brat." She only hoped his answer didn't annoy her. The last thing she needed was to get into another argument about the expectations of a Sanguis. Although, to be fair, Kane had said nothing about those disgusting feelings since she told him she murdered his grandmother.

Kane was the last of the Sanguis Clan, sans Naibu, and one day it would be between one of the two of them to repopulate the clan. Yuka held no dillusions; one of the boys would die, and the other would determine the destiny of the Sanguis. Because of this, the old crow needed to make sure he was on the right track.

"Akatsuki."

Yuka raised an eyebrow, "Akatsuki?"

Kane nodded as he stared into the fire, "They're a group of several S-Ranked Missing Ninja, and in around two years they're going to go across the elemental nations collecting the nine Biju."

Yuka hummed in thought, "That's a pretty ambitious goal."

Kane continued as if he hadn't heard her, "They extract the biju from the Jinchuriki, and when they do, the host dies."

Yuka nodded as she continued to watch him.

"I don't plan on dying. I'm not going to let some fanatic group kill me and take my biju. I'm going to kill them _first_."

Yuka raised an eyebrow at him. That was a _pathetic_ answer. What would he do once he'd killed them? It was only a short-term goal.

"So that's my answer, Yuka-sensei. My answer is _survival._ "

Her eyes widened. That's definitely not what she thought he meant.

"I'm going to fight for my survival. Anyone who would ever be a threat to me; I'm going to hunt them down and eliminate them. I'm going to fight for myself, and only myself. And anyone who gets in my way..." Kane trailed off as Yuka detected a viciousness in his eyes that had never been present before.

"That's my answer. I'm going to _survive_."

Yuka smiled a twisted smile. It was a good answer.

A good answer indeed.

* * *

Yuka smiled, pleased with the results she had just witnessed. Kane was huffing and panting, lying on his back on the ground.

The boy was _fast_. So very, very _fast_. This new trick of his was simply _marvelous_ , and the idea to implement such a risky tactic was ingenious, if not a little bit stupid.

Yuka couldn't help but think, if the boy were to drink her blood, he would even outpace Naibu.

And at such a young age! The brat was only thirteen!

She remembered a time when she found the brat standing outside the lake after training ended one night. It was around half past midnight, and the boy was just standing at the lake, staring out into the water.

When she asked him what he was doing, he said he was just thinking about a birthday.

After she began to berate him - Sanguis children did _not_ celebrate birthdays, even if they _did_ keep track of it - he told her his birthday was October second. This confused the woman, as on that particular night, the date had just turned to October tenth. It wasn't _his_ birthday he was thinking about, he had said.

When she asked if he was thinking of the day the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, he admitted he wasn't. He _was_ thinking about a birthday, just not his own.

He never did tell her who's birthday it was.

* * *

One year. The brat had been with her for one whole year.

She didn't think she'd ever seen someone grow so much in such a short time.

Kane was _strong_. He had long since passed her in skill, Yuka wasn't exactly at her prime anymore, and he was already well above most Chunin's. He probably wasn't quite good enough to be a Jounin, but he would get there. _Soon._ Yuka had no doubts about that.

To go from a weak little Genin that failed the Chunin Exams to such a strong, formidable ninja in a single year was amazing, even to Yuka Sanguis.

She knew she'd made the right choice. This brat would surpass even Naibu. No, he would surpass even the Kage's one day.

He would lead the future generations of the Sanguis Clan to true glory.

Yuka could _feel_ it.

* * *

Hours, she'd stood there, walking stick in hand, staring at the boy. The brat had been sitting in a meditative position, his back towards the lake, for _hours_. His eyes were closed, and he hadn't moved a single muscle in that entire time.

Yuka was nothing if not patient. She didn't move, didn't make a sound. All she did was stand there, her gaze resting on the brat as he focused.

The brat, for all his talk about how much he loved the water, was unable to tell her exactly how much water he could manipulate at once. He claimed he'd asked the question to himself many times, but he'd never tested it.

He told her this morning that he had an answer for her, and when she asked what the answer was all he said was _'I'd rather just show you.'_

Kane's eyes snapped open, and Yuka tensed. His eyes were completely bloodshot, and he looked like he was straining himself with effort.

She waited, watching the brat as his own bloodshot eyes watched her right back.

And then, the water behind him began to ascend.

Not some of it. Not a lot of it.

 _All of it._

Yuka watched in awe as the _entire lake_ began rising towards the sky, the surface floor the water was previously atop of becoming visible as the water continued rising.

Yuka couldn't even see the end. As far as her eyes could see, the water had risen.

She returned her attention to the brat, who was watching her, the struggle still apparent in his eyes.

She smirked at him.

"Well done, _Kane._ "

* * *

Kane sat outside the lake, contemplating everything that had happened to him this past year.

He'd found Yuka Sanguis, and the woman became his sensei.

He learned about Naibu, and the atrocities he committed against his clan.

He discovered the truth about his Kekkei Genkai, his struggles related to it, and had begun mastering it.

He'd become _strong_. Stronger than he thought possible in just a year.

He'd been told the truth about his family, and the revelation behind his birth and who he was.

And lastly, he'd gained an ambition. He would become strong in order to _survive_.

Kane had changed. He wasn't the same little boy that fled from Konoha just one short year ago.

He wondered what life would have been like if he'd stayed in Konoha.

He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he'd be nowhere near as skilled as he was now. He'd still have unanswered questions, and he'd have no true purpose in life.

Kane held no regrets.

He wondered what Team 7 had been doing this entire time.

Did they think of him? As much as he thought of them?

Probably not.

Kane whipped his body around as a familiar but completely unexpected sensation filled his being.

He could feel Yuka-sensei.

The woman had been hurt, or had hurt herself, and was bleeding. _And she was bleeding a lot!_

Kane felt somebody else's blood, too. They also were bleeding. It was a familiar feeling, and yet completely foreign. He recognized it, but at the same time knew he'd never felt it before...

It felt like the blood of a Sanguis.

Kane took off, sprinting back towards the cabin.

* * *

End of Chapter 40.


	42. Chapter 41

He slammed open the door to the cabin, and the stench of copper filled his nostrils.

"Ah! There he is! That was fast!" A voice that sounded vaguely familiar spoke, and Kane turned to face the same stunning redhead he saw the first day he arrived.

Naibu Sanguis.

He was covered in blood, and Kane was pretty sure most of it wasn't his own.

He glanced behind the man and could see Yuka-sensei, laying on her mattress, her head propped up against the wall.

The dull, lifeless look in her eyes told him all he needed to know.

She was gone.

Kane closed his eyes slowly as he took a deep breath. Then, his eyes snapped open to glare coldly at the gorgeous man standing before him.

"Naibu Sanguis." He said emotionlessly.

The man gave him a charming grin in response, "Ah! So you know me! That makes things easier... Come, Kane Sanguis, why don't you take a seat? Let's talk!" The man said before propping himself up onto the sink, motioning to Kane's mattress with a hand.

Kane slowly walked passed the man, his eyes trained on him suspiciously, before plopping down onto his mattress. There was blood everywhere; some of it was even on his mattress.

Really, though, he knew Yuka-sensei would have wanted him to sit here. The woman would have wanted him to sit here and completely disregard her corpse, in order to have a civil conversation with Naibu.

It was the way of the Sanguis Clan.

No emotional displays over her corpse. No feelings. Only cold, calculated ruthlessness. He knew she'd be proud of him for his response, and frankly, he didn't give a damn that she would've been proud.

She would've been proud of that, too.

Naibu smiled disarmingly at him.

"So, here we are. The last two members of the Sanguis Clan. It's kind of surreal, isn't it?" He asked wistfully.

Kane said nothing, only staring at Naibu with a cold gaze.

Naibu chuckled at his lack of response, "I've been thinking about you for thirteen years now, Kane-kun. I'm glad we finally got the chance to meet!"

Kane hummed in response. Clearly, the man wanted to savor this moment.

Kane would let him.

"Why did you kill Yuka-sensei?"

Naibu glanced at the woman's corpse before smiling at it fondly, "Yuka-sama meant the world to me. She was my sensei, and my surrogate grandmother. Everything I know, I learned from her."

He stared up into the ceiling for a moment.

"I came here to visit her, actually. Imagine my surprise when I walk into her cabin and find that her spare mattress has a blanket and pillow. Imagine my surprise when the second plate she never touches is in the sink with the first, dirty. Imagine my surprise when a backpack that I know is not hers is sitting beside the mattress."

He turned his gaze back towards him.

"There's only one person in this world that Yuka-sama would've allowed to stay with her. _Only one._ "

Kane nodded.

"So, I killed her. She's been hiding you from me! Right under my nose! Man, she knew I was waiting for you, keeping an eye out for you. Ever since I heard you abandoned the Leaf - smart choice, by the way - I've kept an eye and ear out for any sign of you."

Kane sighed, "Why? What is with your obsession with me? What's your end game in all of this?"

"To produce the perfect bloodline, of course! I'm the greatest of the Sanguis; after I kill you, all children will be born from my blood and the Sanguis will prosper!" Naibu spoke with a dazzling grin.

Kane narrowed his eyes, "You're lying. Yuka-sensei said that you said that, and she called you out on it. You're not telling the truth."

Naibu held a face of shock, before a wistful smile took over, "She always could see right through me."

The two Sanguis sat there in complete silence for several moments.

Naibu sighed, almost sadly, "Alright, Kane-kun. I guess I might as well tell you. After this, one of us will be the last remaining Sanguis."

Naibu stood up and began pacing.

"Okay, so, I understand that the Sanguis Clan are supposed to be heartless, emotionless machines... And really, I'm pretty good at that. But my mother..."

He turned and faced Kane.

"My mother was always pushing. She wanted her bloodline to surpass that of all other's. To surpass even that of Braenaru. So, when my father began treating my younger sister, Genyn, as nothing more than dirt... Well, she didn't want my sister to turn out as terribly as your elder brother, Electi, did." He smirked at him, and Kane couldn't help but notice how gorgeous he looked even when his smile was less than friendly.

"My mother saw that it was the same situation. A skilled eldest son, and the second-born was being tossed aside. Electi was a failure, and she didn't want Genyn to become a stain on _her_ bloodline, too. So, she raised me to protect Genyn. She raised me to train my younger sister. Genyn was only a year and a half younger than me, so she became my playmate, too. We grew up together."

His smile grew solemn.

"I cared for Genyn, despite the clans ways... That's why, when she died in front of me..."

Naibu made a disgusted face, "I was the perfect guardian to her. I protected her from those who would harm her. Unfortunately, I couldn't protect her from her own clumsiness... She tripped, and split her head open on a rock. Even when I stopped the blood flow, there was no saving her. We were alone, caught in the middle of a great battle in the midst of the Third Shinobi War. She died, right in front of me."

Naibu closed his eyes in pain.

"She was the only one I ever cared about. So... I drank her blood, and when the Blood Well called me forth, I refused to stop the dilution process. I planned on dying with her, through her blood... But I didn't. I didn't die."

Naibu's eyes snapped open, and Kane almost cringed at the wild look in them.

"And that's how I learned, Kane-kun! I learned through that simple act that I could achieve true perfection! Screw the ways of the Sanguis, they were wrong! I could become the perfect being! I just needed to find it; the one who's blood could satiate my hunger! The one who could mix with me, and turn me into something greater!"

Naibu stood up and cracked his neck.

"At first I thought it was Tensei. He was always my idol, even after I surpassed him. But I killed Tensai, and his blood was not what I was looking for. Then, I thought it was Braenaru... But the man was always too smart for his own good. He escaped with Supea before I could catch them."

His eyes went wild.

"Now, I know it's you. It has to be you, Kane-kun! You're the only one left, and the Sanguis Clan's blood is the only blood pure enough for it to work! You, Kane-kun, will lead me to ascension!"

Kane stood up as well.

"You're deranged." Kane said simply, his eyes still cold.

Naibu laughed, "Yes, I am. But what Sanguis isn't?"

The two stared at each other.

Kane knew, just from looking at him, that he wasn't ready. He was fast, but Naibu was faster; he was sure of it. He wouldn't be able to land a blow on the man, his Taijutsu was probably far superior. He wasn't equipped to do a Water-Ninjutsu battle, and the lake was too far away to be of any help.

And if they fought only using their Kekkei Genkais? Only using blood?

Kane's eyes widened as several cuts appeared on Naibu's arms, blood immediately flowing outward and into the air.

 _'Woah. That's new.'_

He wondered if he could learn how to do that...

"I know you've been training under Yuka-sensei, but despite however long you've been with her we both know it wasn't enough. You're not ready, and for that I do apologize... It shouldn't end like this. It should end in a glorious fight between the two of us. But, that's life I suppose." Naibu said consolingly, and Kane truly believed he was genuine in his sincerity. He really did regret killing Kane at such a young, unprepared age.

Realistically, Kane knew he shouldn't stand a chance against the man in front of him.

Kane closed his eyes.

"Yeah, that's life."

Kane's eyes snapped open, and he watched emotionlessly as Naibu gasped in pain and fell to the floor as his blood began burning, his body shaking as he stared up at Kane in horror and awe. The blood in the air dropped to floor, and Naibu was unable to manipulate it while in such great pain.

"You... What..."

Kane took several steps forward, and stared down at the man with a cold gaze.

Then, Naibu smiled.

"I knew it! You're the one! You're the one I needed! If I had just gotten to you sooner..." Naibu spoke wistfully as his body continued to shake and his skin turned red.

Naibu chuckled then, "You know, you look a lot like Braenaru-sama, Kane-kun..."

Kane said nothing, cold gaze and emotionless stare still on him.

"I suppose you'll be the last of the Sanguis Clan, then. I didn't find it; I didn't find the perfection I sought... And neither will you, Kane-kun, as there are no Sanguis left."

Naibu sighed and then cringed in pain.

"One day, somebody else will come along. You truly are perfect, Kane-kun, and your lineage will be glorious. One day, someone like me will come, and _they_ will bring the Sanguis Clan to new heights. I can _feel_ it!"

Kane said nothing.

Naibu stared at him.

"Do it, Kane-kun."

And with one final cry of pain, Naibu ceased his struggles, and the light faded from his eyes.

Kane stared at the body. Nothing ever seemed to go the way he thought it would. He thought, for sure, he'd have to prove himself in a grande battle with the man before him someday. He thought for sure, he wouldn't face Naibu until he was prepared and strong enough to do so.

He never thought his victory would be handed to him on a silver platter by an ability he unlocked before he even left Konoha.

Kane turned and stared at the corpse of Yuka-sensei emotionlessly.

Funnily enough, he didn't feel much regret at her passing.

Kane walked over, grabbing his backpack, and made his way for the exit. As he pushed the door open, Kane turned and fired off a small fireball towards the mattress Yuka-sensei lay upon.

He wouldn't leave their bodies to rot, even if Yuka-sensei would have wanted him to.

As he made his way out of the cabin, he turned and walked towards the lake. The sun was setting, and it wouldn't be long until it became dark.

He'd let Hoshi deal with the forest fire that would undoubtedly come from the burning cabin.

* * *

Kane stared out at the lake he'd spent the past year training at.

This would be the last time he ever came here, Kane was sure. He didn't know how he knew, he could just feel it.

He'd never return.

Kane felt as if his life was heading down a path he'd rather not walk. A path filled with hardship and adventure.

But, no matter what, Kane would thrive.

He would _survive_.

Where was he supposed to go now, though? Theoretically, he could approach the Hoshikage and become declared the last remaining Sanguis. Hoshi would accept him, and he could become a ninja there.

He would be honored, revelled, loved. It would be the complete opposite of Konoha. It would be everything he'd ever dreamed about.

But Kane's dreams had changed.

Kane didn't care about being loved. He didn't care about being worshipped, or respected, or appreciated, or even accepted. Hell, he didn't even care about becoming a 'Splendid Shinobi' anymore.

All he cared about was his own _survival_.

And joining Hoshi would not help him with that, it would make it worse. He would become a target as soon as Akatsuki learned he was there. Konoha would not accept him joining Hoshi, and would come after him as well.

Kane wasn't going to stay in Hoshi. He needed to forge his own path.

He chuckled to himself. He hadn't felt this alone; this lost, since he first escaped Fire Country after abandoning Konoha.

But things were different now. _He_ was different. He could take care of himself.

He wondered if the offer from Orochimaru was still open. Honestly, he didn't care how Konoha would react to him joining one of their greatest enemies. He didn't care one bit.

Blonde flashed before his eyes, and he grit his teeth.

There wasn't any point in going to Orochimaru anyway, he decided. He didn't _need_ a sensei anymore. Yuka-sensei gave him all the tools he required. Kane could teach himself from here on out; he had plenty of things to work on, and a sensei would only slow him down.

And he certainly didn't need the protection Orochimaru offered him. He didn't need protection at all. In fact, he needed the opposite. He needed battle experience.

Really, he hadn't been in any true fights since coming to the Land of Bears, and his battle experience before then was already sorely lacking.

He needed to go somewhere dangerous. Somewhere that would force him to grow strong, but was still far from Konoha.

Kane smirked, as he knew the perfect place.

He was heading for the Bloody Mist.

* * *

End of Chapter 41


	43. Chapter 42

"It's been a year, Minato. The Hidden Leaf Village cannot rely on the weight your name carries forever. We _need_ the Jinchuriki. The other nation's must know that we have the Kyuubi on our side!"

Minato closed his eyes.

"But we _do_ have the Kyuubi, and you already know that, Danzo."

The old man stared at the Fourth Hokage emotionlessly.

"But the world _doesn't,_ so what good does that really do us right now? We need to get the boy back and bring him into the fold once more. The longer he stays out there, the worse it reflects on the village and the more likely it is that our secret is discovered."

"So what would you have me do, then? We have _no_ idea where Kane-kun is. He hasn't been spotted since he left, and even the trail we followed the day he left was a dead end. We don't know where he is, who he's with, or anything about what's happened in the past year!"

Danzo nodded, agreeing with everything Minato said.

"Let _Root_ track the boy. Let me find him, and capture him. Let me bring him under my thumb and teach the boy some _respect_ for this village, and ensure he never betrays us again."

Minato's eyes snapped open.

"I won't allow that, Danzo. We've been through this before."

Danzo scowled at that, "And look at where your struggles against me have led us to! A boy abandoning the village at the age of _twelve_! Not even strong enough to pass the Chunin Exams, and yet he felt he'd rather take his chances as a _Missing Ninja_ than stay in this village any longer!"

Minato scowled, too, "Don't pin this all on me, Danzo! If you had simply left the boy alone to grow up as a _proper_ Shinobi, none of this would have happened!"

"Left him alone to become weak, you mean?"

"Wasn't he weak regardless? As you just pointed out, the boy failed the Chunin Exams." Minato retorted.

Danzo glared, "Alright, Minato. I won't take the boy into Root; but let me find him."

Minato's features softened before he leaned back in his chair, "We can't, Danzo. We need Root to continue doing the missions they've been doing. Konoha needs Root. We can't afford to lose resources searching for Kane-kun, despite how much I want to bring him home."

Minato's eyes snapped up to the now stoic face of the man in front of him.

"Why do you want Kane-kun back so badly, Danzo? This has nothing to do with the Kyuubi, I'm not stupid you know. What do you want with him? What is it you see in him that you refuse to tell me?"

Danzo said nothing as he stood up and began making his way for the exit.

"I hope you at the very least have Jiraiya out there looking for the boy. Konoha needs its Jinchuriki."

The door closed behind him, and Minato let out a sigh.

* * *

Had it really only been a year since Kane left? It felt like longer to her.

"What're you thinking about, idiot?" Sasuke's voice shook her from her thoughts as Naruko turned to glare at the blue-haired boy.

"None of your business, bastard!" She snapped back.

Sasuke's face turned serious, "You were thinking about him again, weren't you?"

Naruko flinched before nodding, "Yeah. It's been more than a year since he left us."

Sasuke grunted, "The Dead Last's probably fine. He trained with us, remember? Surely he picked up a few tricks." Sasuke spoke unconvincingly.

Naruko frowned, "Yeah... He trained with us. For about three months, that is."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, unsure of her point.

"Kane's been gone for more than four times as long as he spent with us. Four times as long as he spent on Team 7. Four times, Sasuke..."

Naruko glared at the ground, "Those three months the four of us spent together, they felt so short, and yet... It feels like we spent an entire lifetime together. You know what I mean?"

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah, I do, idiot."

"He's been gone for so long, bastard. What if-"

"Shutup, idiot." Sasuke said as he poked her forehead with two fingers.

Naruko gave a startled cry as she gripped her forhead with both hands, glaring at her teammate. Did he have to pull an Itachi on her?!

"It doesn't matter how long he's been gone. It doesn't matter what he's been going through. It doesn't matter what he's done. Hell, it doesn't even matter who he's hurt or killed."

Naruko's eyes widened at that.

"What matters is he's on Team 7. He's our teammate, our comrade, our friend, and our _family._ No matter what happens, we'll figure it all out; _together._ "

Tears filled Naruko's vision before the blonde launched herself at the boy, eveloping him in a tight hug.

Sasuke chuckled with an eyeroll before encircling her with his arms as well, "Man, you're so annoying."

Naruko pulled back and wiped the tears away, "We're gonna find Kane, and bring him home!"

Sasuke nodded back with a smirk, "And bring him home."

* * *

Kakashi's eye widened in surprise before turning his attention away from the man approaching and back to the memorial stone.

Minato Namikaze stepped up beside him, and both men stood in silence as they stared at the stone.

"Here for Kushina-sama, sensei?" Kakashi asked.

Minato chuckled, "Partly, but mostly I'm here for you."

Kakashi turned the face the man in surprise and confusion.

"Sensei?"

Minato continued staring at the stone.

"It wasn't your fault, Kakashi-kun. None of it was."

Kakashi closed his eye in painful rememberance.

"If anyone is to blame, it's me. I should've been there for you three. I should've done more. I should've protected you, as was my duty. I failed as a sensei." Minato continued.

Kakashi glared at him, "Don't say such nonsense. Obito and-"

"Obito and Rin wouldn't want me to blame myself, right?" Minato asked as a fond smile appeared on his face, his gaze still turned towards the stone.

"Then why, Kakashi-kun, do you think they'd want you to blame yourself?"

Kakashi said nothing as he turned back to face the stone.

"You aren't like me, Kakashi-kun. You're better than I am. Better than I ever could be. You didn't fail Obito, you didn't fail Rin, and you certainly didn't fail Team 7."

Kakashi grunted, "Then why was I so shocked, so startled, when Kane abandoned Konoha?"

The two said nothing for several moments.

"I was training the boy. One on one. I'd spent three months with him, and then spent even more time with him once the Chunin Exams finished. And yet, I never saw it coming. _Never_. What kind of sensei does that make me?"

"It makes you human, Kakashi-kun. Nobody saw it coming. Kane was... Angry. Bitter. We all saw that, and he wouldn't talk to anyone. I saw it, and yet, his departure took me by surprise, too. What kind of Hokage does that make me, Kakashi?"

Kakashi said nothing for several moments before chuckling quietly, "We're both just a couple of screwups then, huh?"

Minato smiled, "I suppose. But do you know what the difference between us is, Kakashi-kun?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the man.

"There's still hope of redemption for you, Kakashi-kun. You can still make amends. Me? There's no forgiveness for the things I've done. The things I've allowed to happen." Minato said solemnly.

Kakashi nodded slowly, fully aware of the true identity of Konoha's Jinchuriki.

"Save Kane-kun, Kakashi, and bring the boy home."

Kakashi stared at the stone for several minutes after that, both men standing side by side in quiet respect for those long since passed and contemplating the future.

Without a word, Kakashi turned and began walking away.

"You're wrong, sensei."

Minato closed his eyes in sorrow. He'd failed to get through to the man.

Kakashi gave an eye smile as he continued making his departure, "There's still hope of redemption for you, too."

Minato turned around in shock, but Kakashi was already gone.

* * *

Jounin. In just a short year, he'd achieved Jounin status.

But the truth was, he didn't care about that. Not really. What he cared about was the village. The people.

Things had changed. He'd come to care for the village above all else, rather than despise it. And the village had changed, too.

No longer did they stare at him and whisper in fear and hate. Now, he was greeted as he walked the streets. He was praised for his accomplishments by his fellow Shinobi. He was respected by those that once feared and reviled him.

He was loved.

"Gaara?"

Gaara turned his head to find Kankuro approaching him slowly.

"Kankuro." He gave a slight incline of his head before turning to stare out into the village once more.

"What'cha thinkin' about?" Kankuro asked as he came to a stop next to him.

"Suna. This is my home. This is the village I _love_." Gaara responded as his gaze continued sweeping across the land.

Kankuro smiled fondly at his little brother, "And the village loves you, too, Gaara. You've earned it, after all."

Gaara smiled sofly at that.

"I hated this village. I hated everything they said and did to me. I wanted to watch this village burn to the ground. But I changed. I came to love this village as my own. As my home."

Kankuro continued smiling at him. He really had changed.

Gaara's face turned regretful, "And yet, I sent another lost soul down the same dark path I once walked."

Kankuro's eyes widened and the smile vanished from his face at the sudden turn in conversation.

"Is this about that Kane kid?"

Gaara nodded slowly, "I stayed in Suna, and I changed for the better. I was given a second chance; a chance to prove myself..."

Gaara turned to face his brother, "Kane Sanguis. He was like me, only... Not like me."

Kankuro looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"He was hated, just as I was, and yet... He wasn't cruel. He wasn't twisted. He hadn't fallen down the same path as I had; not yet."

Kankuro nodded slowly. He still couldn't believe how important that stupid Kane kid turned out to be, despite Gaara's immediate fascination with him upon arriving in Konoha. The kid was just a weakling!

"I sent him spiralling down the same path as me, and unlike me, Kane Sanguis has noone. He left Konoha, and now, his chances of redemption may be lost forever... He may be doomed to walk down the path of loneliness forever."

Gaara closed his eyes slowly, "And it's all my fault."

Kankuro said nothing. He didn't know the details, but he knew that the Kane kid was a sensitive subject for Gaara.

"Naruko Namikaze saved my life. In return, I will save Kane Sanguis' life."

Kankuro's eyes narrowed, "That's not your duty, Gaara! That's between the kid and Konoha, not you."

"Regardless, I will try. And if I am unable to save him... Then Naruko Namikaze will be the one to do so, just as she did for me."

Gaara smiled fondly as he and Kankuro began making their way back inside.

"If anyone can do it, it'd be her."

* * *

Kane stared at the man, and the man stared back. Both stood completely still, both wearing backpacks, and both completely surprised to find the other standing before them.

 _'Ohhh, I get it. This is a joke! A sick, twisted joke. Haha, good one Kami!'_

Kane snarled at the man in front of him, and the man chuckled in response.

"Well well well, what do you know. My lucky day!"

This was typical. Just typical. He hadn't even been on his own for a _day,_ and things were already taking a turn for the worse.

Kane glared at the man as he continued to smile jovially.

"I didn't expect to run into you, but eh, sometimes good fortune just lands right in your lap I guess!" the man laughed heartily as Kane continued to glare.

Not even on the road for a day, and he runs into _him_ of all people.

Jiraiya of the Sannin.

* * *

End of Chapter 42


	44. Chapter 43

"It's time to stop acting like a spoilt brat and come back to Konoha, kid." Jiraiya stated clearly as Kane practically growled in response.

Spoilt? _Spoilt?!_ He was _anything_ but spoilt.

"No thanks. Not interested."

"It wasn't a suggestion." Jiraiya responded as he crossed his arms.

"And who's gonna make me?" Kami, maybe he'd better stop talking before he dug himself into an even _bigger_ hole, if that was even possible.

Jiraiya ignored his taunt and continued on, "Listen, kid. There are things you don't know. Important things. Things that affect _you._ "

Kane raised an eyebrow at the white haired Sannin, "Oh? Like what?"

Jiraiya took two steps forward, "There's a group of ten or so S-Ranked Missing Ninja that have formed a group called The Akatsuki. They're going to go around the elemental nations within the next two and a half years and begin collecting the Biju. You're in serious trouble, kid, and you need to be prepared for them."

Kane simply stared back at the man emotionlessly, "Is that so?"

Jiraiya grunted, "Look, you don't have to believe me. It doesn't matter what you believe or don't believe. What matters is that you're _prepared_."

"I think I've been doing quite well on my own, actually." And he had. Kane held no delusions; his growth this past year was phenomenal, even if he still had a long way to go.

"Yeah, maybe so, brat," Kane felt wistful at hearing the familiar term directed towards him, "but maybe you'd do even better with a proper teacher."

Kane looked at the man in surprise, the first emotion he'd shown towards the man that wasn't hostile, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, kid, to come with me. I'm traveling the nations right now, looking for more information on Akatsuki. Come with me and I'll teach you all I know, and I can assure you that you'll be prepared when the Akatsuki begin making their move."

Kane was surprised, he hadn't expected an offer like that!

But...

"And what happens when you're done 'travelling the nations'?" Kane asked suspiciously.

"We go back to Konoha. _Both_ of us. We can make up some excuse about how you were with me the entire time, and you never actually abandoned the village, if that's what you want to do. We'll come up with some excuse for where you've been during the time I was still in Konoha and you up and left. Whatever you want to do; it doesn't matter, we can figure it out. Then, you'll rejoin Konoha as a Shinobi and we'll prepare for Akatsuki."

Kane blanched.

Return to Konoha?

 _ **As if.**_

Besides; although Kane was sure he could learn plenty from the Sannin, he didn't _need_ a sensei. He had plenty to work with as it was; speed training, his Kekkei Genkai, endurance, strength, elemental ninjutsu, and so on...

Why would he accept training from Jiraiya, if he didn't accept training from Orochimaru?

Like he said; a sensei would only slow him down.

"No thanks. I'm perfectly fine on my own, and I have no intention of returning to Konoha. _Ever_."

Jiraiya sighed in annoyance, "Look, kid-"

"I'm not a kid. Stop calling me that. I told you I'm not interested in your offer, so get lost before you piss me off even more."

Oh.

 _Oh._

Kane's eyes went wide in shock at his own words, and Jiraiya looked stunned as well.

 _Maybe that hadn't been the smartest thing to say._

Jiraiya chuckled darkly, and he dropped his backpack onto the ground with a loud _'thump!'_

 _Oh, shit._

Jiraiya cracked his neck as he stretched his arms, "You know, I believe I warned you once about what I would do to you if you ever hurt my goddaughter. Did you know she cried when you left? I've never seen the girl cry from physical pain, and yet you managed to do it without a single word. That's some pretty serious injury if you ask me, kid."

 _Shit shit_ _ **shit!**_

"I promised the Hokage if I found you i'd send you back, _gift-wrapped_. Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

Jiraiya got into a taijutsu stance, and Kane did so as well.

The Sannin's eyes turned cold, "Much."

Kane quickly took in his surroundings; no water anywhere to speak of, dense forest surrounding both sides of the pathway the two were standing on, and no way out.

 _ **'Shit!'**_

Jiraiya launched himself at Kane, throwing the first punch. Kane jumped into the air, grabbed his arm with both hands and flipped over the man. As he landed on the ground, he threw his arms up to block a kick from Jiraiya, and was sent careening into a nearby tree from the force of the blow, his back slamming against it.

 _'I can't take this guy! He's a freaking_ _ **Sannin!**_ _What am I supposed to do?!'_

Kane was panicking, and he knew it.

Kane ducked as the man threw a punch at his head, and leapt away in shock as the entire tree caved in to the force of Jiraiya's punch, falling and collapsing to the ground.

Kane gaped as the man turned towards him and cracked his neck once more.

 _'Is... Is he trying to kill me?!'_

The thought didn't instill any fear in Kane. In fact, it did the opposite.

 _It pissed him off._

Fury and adrenaline fueling him, Kane charged the man, whipping out a kunai in the process.

Jiraiya smirked, "Finally deciding to fight, huh kid?"

Yes, Kane would fight. He would show the cocky bastard!

 _He would win!_

Immediately before reaching the ninja, Kane jumped towards a nearby tree, planting both feet onto the side firmly before once again launching himself at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya looked confused at the maneuver as Kane threw the kunai towards Jiraiya and pulled out another one.

Jiraiya batted the kunai away and grabbed Kane's foot immediately before it planted itself into his face.

Kane's momentum carried him forward and he grabbed Jiraiya's shoulder with his free hand, and swung the kunai in the other at the arm gripping his foot.

Jiraiya let go of his leg, and Kane vaulted over the man once again, the two now positioned back-to-back.

Jiraiya threw another spinning kick at him, and this time Kane ducked.

As the leg went flying over his head, Kane swung his kunai upwards, intending on impaling the man with it.

 _'All I need to do is draw blood!'_

But instead of stabbing flesh, Kane found himself stabbing something different. it was white, and hard as steel, his kunai not even putting a dent into it.

 _'Hair?!'_

Kane jumped away as he stared in shock. The man's head of white hair enlarged itself and blocked his kunai!

"That was a lot of fancy footwork just to try to stab me in the leg, kid." Jiraiya said supiciously.

 _'Shit. He knows something's up.'_

Why had he tried to fight Jiraiya like this to begin with?! It was _Jiraiya!_ He couldn't keep holding back!

No more! It was time to test the results of his training! He'd show the man how fast he really was, and defeat the legendary ninja in front of him! He would-

Kane gasped in shock and pain as something collided with his back.

" _Rasengan!"_ A second Jiraiya announced as Kane went flying towards the original Jiraiya, who merely sidestepped and watched Kane's body fly right passed him. He landed in a heap on the ground.

 _'Shit...'_ Kane thought as he struggled to stand. He'd let his guard down; he never even saw the man make a shadow clone!

The Jiraiya that Rasengan'd him disappeared with a _'poof!'_ and the original walked over and kicked Kane in the stomach, causing him to collapse back to the ground with a gasp.

"You're lucky I went easy on you with that Rasengan, brat. Had I put any more Chakra in that, you'd be dead."

Kane glared up at the man with one eye close, blood trickling down the left side of his mouth and chin.

Jiraiya sighed as he scratched the back of his head, "Man, what am I gonna do with you? I can't be bothered to go all the way back to Konoha, I'm kinda busy..." He spoke aloud to himself.

Jiraiya walked over towards his backpack before unzipping it and pulling a scroll out from it. He opened it and slowly walked back over towards Kane, staring at the contents of the scroll as he did so.

"I'll just have to send you back gift-wrapped, exactly as I said. Don't worry kid, you'll be back in Konoha in no time at all. You might have to go the next day or two without food, but eh, you'll survive. Well, I would hope so at least." Jiraiya droned on as he threw the scroll onto the ground.

 _'A summoning scroll...'_ Kane realized as he glanced at the contents of the scroll with his open eye. He may not be the smartest person out there, but Yuka-sensei taught him a great many things using books from Hoshi she forced him to read.

Jiraiya bit his thumb, and Kane's eyes snapped wide open and turned _wild._

 _Did he seriously just?!_

Kane watched with malicious glee as Jiraiya gasped and collapsed onto the ground with a cry of pain, right next to the summoning scroll. Kane smiled with satisfaction as Jiraiya continued to twitch on the ground, his cries muffled as the man gritted his teeth from the pain.

Kane slowly got to his feet, flinching in pain as he did so.

The man's grunts and moans were like music to Kane's ears.

He walked over to the man writhing on the ground, and stared down at him. He cooled off the man's blood _just slightly_ , and when Jiraiya opened his eyes to look at him...

Kane kicked him in the head. _Hard._ He went out like a light.

Kane closed his eyes and sighed with relief, enjoying the thought that it was over. He completely cooled off the man's blood, and then raised an eyebrow as he considered the position he now found himself in.

Jiraiya of the Sannin, on the ground in front of him, at his mercy.

Imagine if he killed the man...

He was going to continue hunting Kane, so really, he probably _should_ kill him. Right? Then he would have one less person to deal with, and he doubted Jiraiya would ever fall for this trick again if they fought again. He'd take Kane out faster than he could say 'Konoha'.

Imagine the notoriety he would get, too. Sure, that was a doubled edged sword, but it would probably feel _amazing_ to be able to say he killed a Sannin in single combat at the age of _thirteen_.

Him!

Kane!

Defeating a Sannin at thirteen!

Kane laughed with childlike joy at the thought. Sure, it was more like the man had defeated himself, but details meant nothing! He was standing, and Jiraiya wasn't!

Kane glared at himself for the thought. To think, he'd once again been handed his victory by his opponent.

He couldn't keep relying on that.

He needed to get stronger. Much stronger. Then, it wouldn't matter if his opponents cut themselves or not; he could just cut them himself.

As he looked at the unconscious Sannin before him, Kane smirked. Yuka-sensei had been wrong, and this was proof of that! There wasn't a ninja alive that couldn't be defeated by his blood boiling! Everyone had blood!

Kane shook his head at the thought. He was getting off track.

So, he should kill the man.

Right?

If he didn't, he'd probably tell people about what happened, too. That would mean people would start figuring out his Kekkei Genkai, and then it'd be a lot less likely his opponents would just give the win to him like this.

What if he killed him, though? What would that mean?

Konoha would hunt him. Not to bring him back, oh no, they'd hunt him down like a wild animal and kill him. He wouldn't be 'Capture On Sight', not after killing a legendary Konoha Ninja, he'd be 'Kill On Sight' for sure.

That... didn't sound the best.

Could he even do it? Was he cold-hearted enough to murder this man in cold blood?

Jiraiya of the Sannin. Legendary Konoha Shinobi. A shining star to the Hidden Leaf Village.

and Naruko's godfather.

This man on the ground in front of him. This man he was contemplating murdering...

This man was precious to Naruko.

Kane scowled at the thought.

 _'So what?! Who the hell cares?! That means nothing to me! She means nothing to me! Sasuke means nothing to me! Kakashi means nothing to me! Team 7 means nothing to me! Konoha means nothing to me!'_

Kane had never been more aware of the picture in his backpack than he was in that moment.

Kane shook his head once more, ridding himself of the troubling thoughts.

So what should he do? Kill the man, or let him live?

Naruko's face flashed in his mind once more, and he grit his teeth before kicking the Sannin in the side in anger.

Kane sighed. He wouldn't kill the man.

So what would he do then? He couldn't just leave him here, could he?

No, he couldn't. The man would be on him faster than he could possibly hope to outpace, and he'd soon find the very same man standing before him, and Kane doubted he could win a second time.

He needed to throw Jiraiya off his trail completely, but the man was a Sannin. Kane doubted he could outsmart him.

What if he sent him back to Konoha? That'd be interesting, to say the least... Konoha was three or four days away, there was no way Jiraiya would stay unconscious that long.

What if he didn't have to, though? What if he could get Jiraiya to teleport there somehow?

 _'What the hell am I even thinking... This isn't fantasy. How would I freaking teleport him? What would I do, summon him to Konoha?'_

Kane froze and his head snapped towards the summoning scroll.

 _'The first rule of the Sanguis Clan; there is Chakra in the Blood!'_

Kane had a stroke of genius.

He quickly swiped the Sannin's hand, whipped out a kunai and sliced the man's hand. He willed the man's blood outside of his body and into the air, before stopping the blood flow altogether. He dropped the man's hand and walked over to the summoning scroll.

To cast a summon, you had to have three things; a contract with the summon, blood, and chakra.

Didn't he technically have all three, if he used Jiraiya's blood?

Kane enveloped his hand with Jiraiya's blood before slamming his palm onto the scroll.

 _"Summoning Jutsu!"_

A tiny frog appeared, and it ribbit'ed right at Kane's flabbergasted face.

"... I guess I don't have enough of Jiraiya's Chakra, then."

He pondered this for a moment.

What if he used his own? He could just reinforce Jiraiya's chakra with his own, and it should still work, right?

He tried it again.

 _"Summoning Jutsu!"_

A large body of spoke appeared, and a huge, orange frog with blue markings appeared before Kane.

 _'Holy shit. It actually worked!'_

The frog stared at Kane in surprise, and Kane smirked darkly at it in return. The frog glanced at Jiraya's prone form and froze.

"Take him back to Konoha, or I'll kill him where he stands. You guys can reverse summon him, right?" Kane demanded as he stepped to the side, allowing an open path between the frog and it's master.

 _'Well, he's technically not standing, is he?'_ Kane thought with a smirk. He still couldn't believe the man had just given him a victory like this.

Just like Naibu.

The frog jumped over to Jiraiya, probably checking that he was still alive. The frog looked as if it was about to un-summon itself, and Kane decided he had one more thing he wanted to do first.

"Wait!" Kane yelled out and the frog turned to face him uncertainly.

"Take a message to Konoha, too."

* * *

End of Chapter 43


	45. Chapter 44

Minato had been sure it was going to be another, boring day. So to say he was surprised to find himself staring at his disgruntled sensei being checked over by a medic ninja was putting it lightly.

"I told you I'm fine! Now get out of here, I need to talk to the Hokage!" Jiraiya snapped at the man and he gave a quick nod before scurrying out of the room.

Minato raised an eyebrow at his sensei, "Defeated by a thirteen year old Genin. Quite impressive, sensei."

Jiraiya scowled, "Don't get cheeky with me brat! I told you, he didn't even touch me! I went to summon Gama to deliver him back to the leaf, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground."

"Why are you even here sensei? You seem to be alright, so why come to the hospital?"

"Ma forced me to!" He pouted.

"Ah, I see." Minato smiled a large grin at the man.

"I was reverse summoned back to Mount Myoboku, and when I came to Ma forced me to come back and get treated. She insisted I needed to tell you what happened personally, and get checked for lasting damage as well."

Minato nodded, "Well, you're healthy as a peach. That's good."

"And that damned brat should at least have a couple of bruises. I did hit him with a Rasengan after all." Jiraiya spoke spitefully.

Minato glared, "Sensei-"

"Ehh relax kid, I didn't hurt him too badly. He could still get up and walk, after all." Jiraiya waved him off.

The door slammed open, and a blonde haired girl rushed in followed closely by a dark haired boy, "Pervy-sage!"

The two ran up to his bedside and the girl looked worried, "Are you okay?! I heard you were put in the hospital!"

"Ehh, I'm fine brat, and stop calling me that!"

"It's your name, though."

"I'm the great Jiraiya-sama!"

"Okay pervy-sage."

Before the two could begin their familiar bickering, Sasuke spoke up, "What happened? Who could've hurt a Sannin?"

Jiraiya scowled, once again reminded of how he'd lost to a Genin.

"Yeah pervy-sage, who kicked your ass? They must be super strong!"

"Your little boyfriend, that's who!" Jiraiya quipped in irritation.

The room fell completely silent as the two Chunin stared at him in shock.

"You're joking, right?" Sasuke spoke slowly, as if he didn't truly believe what he was hearing.

"No, I'm not." Jiraiya grunted back.

"How? How could _Kane_ have hurt you? Aren't you supposed to be some sort of great ninja?" Sasuke scowled.

Jiraiya scowled right back, "Listen here kid, I'm the best ninja you'll ever meet! The brat just caught me off guard, that's all."

Sasuke didn't look too convinced.

"Look, I had him beat pretty easily. I was going to send him back to Konoha, but when I went to summon Gama to transport him back, I collapsed to the ground. I felt _hot_. My entire body felt like it was on fire, and I know it was the Jinchuriki brat that caused it. I'm not really sure _how_ , but I know it was him."

Sasuke grunted, and Naruko was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Give up on that kid, brats. He stood above me as I was on the ground and he knocked me out, and I got a good clear look at him before he did so. He was _enjoying_ having me on the ground in pain. Give up on him."

Naruko spoke up for the first time since Kane was mentioned, "How can you say that pervy-sage?! Kane's our teammate! He's our family!" She nearly yelled.

"And I'm not?" Jiraiya fired back. Naruko flinched at that.

"You are! But so is Kane! Just because he beat you doesn't mean we're just going to give up on him!"

"You want to know who he reminded me of in that moment?" Jiraiya said quietly and everyone, even Minato, looked at the man in shock as he turned melancholy.

"He reminded me so much of Orochimaru."

The entire room flinched.

"He had that same look in his eye. That look of superiority. That look of enjoying the pain of someone else. That look of pleasure, knowing it was _him_ that caused that pain and suffering. I remember the first time I saw that look in Orochimaru's eyes... I'll never forget it... Kane Sanguis had the exact same look."

Nobody said a word.

"Give up on the brat. He's going to be the exact same as Orochimaru; there's no saving him."

Naruko stomped her foot onto the floor, "You're wrong!"

Jiraiya glared, "Listen, yo-"

"No _you_ listen! You're wrong about Kane! He's not like that! He's our _family_ , and I'm not going to just give up on him! Neither of us are!" Sasuke nodded his head at that.

Naruko continued rallying, "You said he had you on the ground, so that means he could've killed you pervy-sage! But he didn't! He let you go! So he's obviously not all bad! You're wrong and I won't sit here and listen to you badmouth Kane anymore! So give it a rest!"

Jiraiya and Minato stared at the girl in shock as Sasuke spoke up, "We're going to find Kane, and bring him home. We'll kick his ass if that's what it takes, but we're not going to give up on him. You're wasting your time telling us to do that."

Jiraiya sighed loudly, before nodding his head, "I can see that."

The room was quiet for several moments.

"Alright you brats, if you're going to bring the Jinchuriki home then you need to know what you're dealing with."

Naruko grinned widely and Sasuke smirked, Minato smiled at the display.

"The reason I felt so hot was because of my blood; I can't guarantee that, but It's the only thing that makes sense. I've _recently_ been informed that the boy was apart of a Clan of Blood Users-" Jiraiya glared at Minato for keeping that information from him, and he smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head, "-so obviously the kid can heat up blood somehow."

Sasuke and Naruko looked shocked at this. They remembered Karin's words about Kane being apart of a Clan, but they both dismissed it as untrue.

"It's one hell of an ability, too, if I'm right. The kid was seriously injured, I'd even hit him with a Rasengan, and yet he did it without making a single hand sign or speaking a single word; Hell, he didn't even move a muscle I don't think.

"You did _WHAT?!_ " Naruko shouted in outrage at hearing he'd hit Kane with a freaking _Rasengan!_

"I have three theories on how he managed to do this." Jiraiya continued on, completely ignoring the blonde who's eye was twitching.

"First, and worst case scenario, the kid can do it whenever he wants and simply didn't want to show me. If that's the case... Well, let's just hope it's not, sound good?"

Naruko calmed down, listening intently as Sasuke nodded.

"Second, and best case scenario, he can only do it when he's backed into a corner. A desperation move, kind of like how the Uchiha unlock Sharingan when they're put in a life or death situation. If that's the case, then you just have to make sure you take him out quickly when you're about to win. Shouldn't be too hard."

The two nodded once more.

"The third, and most likely scenario... Before I collapsed, I bit my thumb to draw blood and summon Gama. The boy was also trying his hardest to cut me with a kunai; he wasn't aiming to kill, only to injure. I think he can't use this power unless he draws your blood. If that's the case, you _can't_ let him cause you to bleed. If you do, you've already lost."

Naruko and Sasuke turned to face each other, and the blonde grinned at the boy.

"Kane sure has picked up some neat tricks, huh bastard!"

Sasuke smirked back, "Yeah. Good thing, too, if he ever hopes to keep up with us."

Jiraiya looked confused, "What're you two so happy about?"

Naruko gave him a happy grin, "Because now we know for sure that Kane's okay! He can take care of himself!"

Sasuke nodded, "We'll be honest; we weren't sure if the Dead Last could make it out on his own. Now, we know he can do just fine, which is good."

Jiraiya sighed loudly, "Man, you two are such a pain in the ass."

As the three began bickering, Minato smiled fondly.

* * *

"Alright pervy-sage, get well soon okay!" Naruko cheered loudly as she and Sasuke left the room, the door closing shut behind them.

As soon as the door was closed, the atmosphere turned serious.

Minato turned to Jiraiya, "You said Kane-kun left a message for Konoha. A message for _me._ "

Jiraiya nodded slowly, "I didn't have the heart to tell you with those two around. Not when they seemed so determined to save him... It's not a horrible message, but still, I couldn't bring myself to say it around them."

Minato nodded slowly.

"What was the message?"

Jiraiya eyed his student, "Only two words."

Minato's full attention was on his sensei.

 _"Stay Away."_

* * *

Man, why had he told that stupid frog to deliver a message to Konoha? Not his brightest moment, and it all felt so cliche to him too... He hadn't stopped thinking about his decision for days now. It was such a useless thing to do; Konoha wouldn't stop.

Still, it was too late to change anything.

Kane smirked as he felt the presence of water up ahead.

He knew that in the coming days, that would quickly become a familiar sight and feeling.

After all, he'd finally entered Water Country.

* * *

 _ **'Pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!'**_

Screams filled the air as Kane continued launching balls of boiling water at the bandits that had tried to rob him. Kane hadn't even moved a muscle, simply standing there watching the carnage with his arms crossed.

And to think, once upon a time, he'd been _proud_ to defeat such scum.

How times had changed.

He walked over to the corpse of one of the bandits, completely ignoring the screams of the few remaining bandits, and began digging around the backpack the man was wearing. Seriously, what kind of bandit brought a backpack to a robbery?

Wait.

Kane's attention turned towards one Bandit he'd missed, and the bandit was running away. He was the last one remaining.

Really, he should probably just let the guy go... Right?

It was what Naruko would do.

Kane launched another ball of boiling water at the man's retreating figure, and he fell down with a scream.

Kane smirked as he turned his attention back to the backpack. There was just something inside him that wouldn't let him do such a thing, and now he knew what that feeling was. It was because he was a Sanguis! His bloodlust wouldn't allow any survivors. Well, maybe he could overcome that, but why should he? It felt _good!_

Kane found what he was searching for; the man was carrying food! Thank Kami! He'd barely eaten the past few days. Kane's good mood at his find immediately did a one eighty.

Kane stared in horror and disbelief at what he'd pulled out.

Cup ramen.

 _'Kami, I'm never going to get away from this crap, am I?!'_

Kane groaned as he began making his way towards the nearby lake.

He quickly manipulated some water from the lake into his cup ramen, and began boiling it. He leaned down with one hand and cupped a small amount of water in his palm, bringing it up to his mouth for a drink as he eyed his cooking food.

He sat there for a minute or so, before quickly standing up.

 _Something was wrong._

Kane felt numb; he felt awful, as if his body was _screaming_ at him!

He quickly grabbed a kunai and cut his arm. Something was in the water he just drank!

 _'Shit! Why didn't I boil the water before drinking it?!'_

He felt it. Something was in his bloodstream that _wasn't supposed to be there_.

He could feel it. The blood that was infected. He forced it forward and refused to allow it to spread any further.

It was _his_ blood, and he was a _Sanguis!_ He would _not_ allow something to infect his bloodstream! He would _not_ allow his own blood to be turned against him!

Yuka-sensei would never forgive him if he did.

He quickly manipulated the blood out of his arm and into the air, and glared at the seemingly normal fluid. He threw it onto the ground and sighed loudly. At least he'd caught that in time. Imagine if he'd been infected by whatever was in that water!

 _'Welcome to Water Country'_ Kane thought with a dark chuckle.

It was fine, though. Thankfully, his blood would never betray him. It was his ally; just like water.

Kane froze, staring back at the lake once more, his cup ramen long since forgotten.

 _It was his ally._

What if he could...?

No, that was stupid. Even though it could theoretically work, what would he do when he went to sleep? He couldn't manipulate his blood while he was sleeping!

... Could he?

Kane stared at the lake water. He leaned down, and cupped some of the infected water with two hands.

Then, he drank.

* * *

End of Chapter 44


	46. Chapter 45

Kakashi had his hands on his knees as he panted, his right eye closed and his left eye opened to reveal the Sharingan.

"What's wrong, Kakashi? Can't keep up?"

Kakashi looked up to find three Naruko's in front of him, the one in the center had her arms on her hips and all three were smirking at him.

"You're getting old, Kakashi. You definitely can't take us at the same time any longer." Sasuke's voice came from behind him, and Kakashi turned his head to find the dark haired boy smirking down at him as well.

Kakashi plopped down onto his backside and sighed loudly, "Alright. I yield."

Naruko snorted, "I told you that you need to start fighting us one on one, Kakashi. You've lost four times in a row!"

Kakashi placed his headband over his Sharingan and eye-smiled up at the two of them, Naruko's clones disappearing in a puff of smoke, "Maybe you're right."

The two members of Team 7 smiled at that.

Kakashi fell back and sighed in relief.

Man, but those two sure have grown.

Who would've thought they'd surpass their sensei after only three years?

* * *

As the three remaining members of Team 7 made their way to the usual spot to get dinner, the same spot they went to everytime, Naruko piped up.

"It's been three years today since Kane left..."

Sasuke nodded, "There still hasn't been any word of him. Not since his little tussle with Jiraiya."

Kakashi hummed, his eyes still trained on his icha icha novel, "Well, when word arrives of him, we'll be ready."

Naruko and Sasuke smiled at that, and the three entered their typical eating place.

Ichiraku Ramen.

* * *

"I don't _care_ what the rumors say about him! The guy has been killing our men for _months!_ Get rid of him! I want his head placed on the desk in front of me within _a week! Do you understand?!"_ The short man roared, and several ninja and mercenaries in the room scattered.

The small man sighed as he ran a hand down his face and collapsed into the comfortable chair behind him. Several Chunin and Jounin leveled ninja stayed behind and watched their boss curiously.

He glared up when there was a knock at the door.

"Let them in."

One of the Chunin opened the door and gasped, taking multiple steps backwards and pulling out a kunai.

Everyone in the room tensed as the same person they'd just been discussing walked into the room, multiple corpses residing in the previous room and blood scattered everywhere.

"It's him, boss! That's Red Skin!"

The short man jumped up onto his desk and roared, "Red Skin! You have some nerve coming here!"

The man glared back as from behind him a large tendril of water flew into the room and split, throwing itself onto all the ninja and drenching them.

And then...

 _ **'Pop!' 'pop!' pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!'**_

The ninja began screaming in pain as they were boiled alive, Kane's eyes never once leaving the short man's.

The man began trembling in fear as he witnessed all of his ninja die right in front of him, "Hey! Listen, do you know who I am?! We can make a deal! I'm filthy rich! I-"

"I know who you are, Gato."

Gato gulped and fell to his knees on top of his desk, staring Kane eye-to-eye now.

"L-l-l-listen we can make a deal! You can work for me! Or... Or I can pay you to go away! Whatever you want! I can make it happen!"

Kane raised an eyebrow and the begging man, "Why would I want your money? I don't have any real use for it."

Gato continued to shake, "W-what do you want then?!"

"I don't like it when people hunt me. I have enough doing that already. It pisses me off." Kane spoke stoically, no inflection in his voice at all.

"Okay! No more hunting! I'll make sure my boys lay off, honest!"

"Why would I trust you to do that when I could just kill you now?" Kane asked curiously.

"Wait, we can-"

The man never finished his sentence as a ball of water dropped on his head from above. Gato never even saw it positioned above his head, floating in the air.

The water began boiling, and as Gato began screaming in pain, Kane turned and walked away.

* * *

He'd made a point to never kill Kiri Shinobi. If he killed even a single one, they'd begin hunting him. It was a pain, but Kane liked to think of it as training. Sometimes, he might need to capture somebody alive. He'd gotten pretty good at doing just that, he liked to think.

The Mizukage, Mei Terumi, clearly noticed his efforts to not harm her ninja. In fact, nowadays whenever Kiri ninja realized who he was, they tended to stay out of his way and let him deal with any rogue ninja that happened to be around. It was strange, but Kane wasn't complaining about it.

What he _was_ complaining about was the moniker they gave him.

 _'What the hell kind of nickname is Red Skin, anyway? Stupid...'_

A thick mist began to roll in, and Kane sighed.

Obviously, these two hadn't done their homework.

 _'When was the last time I had a real fight?'_

He couldn't remember. Had it been Jiraiya? But that didn't really count, did it?

 _'Shit... The last time I had a real fight was with Kiba Inuzuka, wasn't it?! Naibu and Jiraiya don't count, and since then everything has been a cakewalk...'_

Well, regardless, he'd gotten plenty of battle experience since coming to the Land Of Water.

The mist became extremely thick, and an ordinary ninja would have no idea of the person approaching from behind.

 _'This is going to be another easy fight, I see...'_

Really, what was mist except water in the air? This was the _perfect_ environment for Kane. The entire area felt as if it was underwater to him. He could feel _everything._

 _'This guy used the Hidden Mist Jutsu...'_

He had actually learned that very technique himself a few weeks ago. It was extremely useful, and Kane knew it would come in handy one day. Too bad it used up the vast majority of his Chakra... He'd have to practice it more.

The figure was approaching fast, and Kane smirked.

Like a fish swimming through the water.

Kane ducked as a sword went above his head, and he stood back up as if nothing happened.

The sword came back, and this time hit nothing as Kane appeared behind the ninja, throwing a kick.

The unknown assailant blocked his kick with an arm, and Kane got his first look at his enemy. He was tall, taller than Kane, and had black spiky hair. He wore a white mask over the bottom of his face.

The man began chuckling, "We meet at last, Red Skin."

Kane took several quick steps back and raised an eyebrow, "Do I know you?"

The man grunted, clearly displeased at having to introduce himself, "The name's Zabuza. Zabuza Momochi."

Kane kept his eyebrow raised, "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

Zabuza chuckled darkly, "Maybe not, but what _should_ mean something to you is this: You killed my client. He's been funneling me money for _years_ now, and I was _so close_ to having the amount I needed."

Kane rolled his eyes, "Poor you."

"No, brat, _poor you!_ "

Zabuza charged him, and Kane jumped further away.

Zabuza halted as he began wiping his forehead with his arm, "Shit... Why is it so hot?!"

Kane raised an eyebrow, he couldn't exactly boil mist, but he could certainly heat it up. It wouldn't be long until 'Zabuza' keeled over.

Kane glanced behind him, _'There's another one over there, too.'_

Kane turned back to face Zabuza, "Wanna see the difference in our speeds?"

Zabuza's eyes went wide as Kane disappeared, and the next thing the man knew he had a fist planted into his gut.

Zabuza took several steps back as he grunted in pain, and then swung his sword at Kane once more. Kane disappeared again, and threw a side-arm at Zabuza's face as he appeared beside the man.

Zabuza scowled as he jumped away.

"You know, you might've done better if you hadn't made this mist! This is my domain, now!" Kane yelled out as Zabuza tried to position himself behind Kane.

Zabuza swung, Kane dodged again.

Zabuza glared before performing several hand signs, _'Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"_

As a giant dragon made of pure water appeared, it launched itself at Kane. Kane smirked as he stood perfectly still, and right before the dragon collided with Kane, it stopped.

 _'W-what?! What the hell is going on?!'_ Zabuza thought in disbelief. His attack just stopped!

The dragon turned, and launched itself at Zabuza. Zabuza screamed in pain as the jutsu hit him dead on, and the mist dissipated from the area.

Zabuza was on his hands and knees, coughing up water, and looked up as he heard footsteps.

Just in time to see a foot plant itself into his face.

Zabuza stood up, shaking in rage, "You think it's gonna be that easy to defeat me?! Not on your life, _kid!_ "

Kane gave the man an annoyed look, clearly not appreciating the nickname, and Zabuza howled in pain and collapsed onto his knees as the water on his body began boiling.

Kane walked over to the man, whipping out a kunai as he did so, and then stopped. He used the kunai in his hand to block several senbon needles from impaling him in the neck, and he turned to the newcomer.

The boy was wearing an Anbu mask that hid his face, but for some reason he decided to introduce himself, "My name is Haku."

Kane grunted, "Kane. Kane Sanguis."

"It is very nice to meet you Kane Sanguis. Please, allow me to retrieve my master, and we shall be on our way."

Zabuza was twitching on the ground, but he lifted his head slightly to glare at his partner, "I'm not out of this yet, Haku!"

Despite his words, he didn't get up.

Kane raised an eyebrow at Haku, "Why should I do that? I could just kill you both right now, and then never have to worry about you again."

"Because you will lose, Kane-san."

Kane smirked at that, "I'll lose? To you?"

Haku nodded.

"What makes you think that? I took out your 'master' pretty easily."

Zabuza growled at that, and Haku removed his mask to reveal a pretty, albeit girlish face.

"Is there someone who is precious to you, Kane-san?"

Kane raised an eyebrow, "Precious?"

"Yes. Someone who you care for."

Kane rolled his eyes. Haku was one of _those._ Ninja that were the perfect fit for a place like Konoha, because of their ideals and morals.

Kane hated people like Haku.

"Yeah, there is."

Haku smiled at that, "Then you understand. You shall grow truly strong, Kane-san, so long as you fight for your precious person."

"My precious person is myself." Kane said dryly, and Haku's eyes widened in shock.

"Yourself?"

"Yeah. I fight for myself. I fight for my survival. Nothing else, and nobody else matters."

Haku frowned, "That is not the proper way. You can only grow strong if you fight for someone precious to you."

Kane smirked, "Would you like to test that theory of yours?"

Haku's frown deepened, "Please, we mean you no harm. Allow me to retrieve my master, and I promise you will never see us again."

Kane looked as if he was considering it, "But why would I take your word for it when I could just kill you now? You decided to hunt me, it didn't work out, and now you want me to let you go on a promise? I think I'd rather just kill you."

Haku shook his head, knowing there was no way out of this, and a mirror of ice formed behind him, "That's a shame. I will protect my precious person at all costs, Kane-san."

Kane raised an eyebrow.

 _'Ice? That's new. I've never met an ice user before.'_

But really, he thought, Ice was nothing more than frozen water.

Before Haku could step into his ice mirror, his eyes widened in shock as the ice began _melting._

And then, before he could react, the ice-turned-water struck at him, enveloping him and heating itself up even further.

Haku couldn't even scream, as he was completely submerged in the water. The water cooled off, and then released him completely as he fell to the floor.

Haku struggled to lift his head as he heard a quiet _**'thunk!'**_ and stared in horror and denial as he watched Kane pull a kunai from Zabuza's neck.

Kane walked over to Haku, and smirked down at him.

"You fight for someone else. I fight for myself and my survival."

Kane wiped the blood off the kunai, and Haku continued to stare up at Kane in complete denial of reality as a drop of Zabuza's blood landed on his cheek.

"So tell me Haku, who's stronger?"

Haku never got to answer.

* * *

Being in Water Country was a waste of time, now. He'd learned much and gotten plenty of battle experience, but the environment was too helpful. The ninja here were almost strictly water users, and there was _always_ a source of water nearby, too. The fights weren't fair; Kane was probably the worst person in the world for a water user to go up against.

Kane decided it was time to leave Water Country. He'd grown strong, and was ready for the next step.

It was time to hunt down the Akatsuki.

But where would he begin? He had no idea where they were, and he wasn't even sure if they'd begun attacking Jinchuriki yet...

Well, first things first. Kane remembered how Itachi Uchiha wasn't alone when he approached him, he was with that huge shark looking man. So, odds are they were traveling in pairs at the very least, if not in even greater numbers.

Kane needed to find someone, too. He needed to find somebody that would travel and fight with him. Somebody who could help even the odds. Kane was confident, borderline cocky, but that was because he'd yet to be truly challenged. He knew things might not be so easy when dealing with the Akatsuki, and he needed to have a partner.

He didn't want a comrade, he didn't want a teammate, and he especially didn't want a _friend._

No, what Kane needed was an ally. A subordinate. A _tool._ Somebody who wouldn't turn their back on him, but wouldn't get in his way either.

Kane smirked.

He had just the person in mind, too.

* * *

End of Chapter 45.


	47. Intermission 2

Arc 2, The Timeskip Arc is officially complete!

I'd like to take a moment to thank those of you that have followed the story this far! I realize that the Timeskip Arc is slow, and undoubtedly I've lost some of you along the way. So if you've made it this far, congratulations, because...

Shippuden is here!

There will be no break; we're diving right in. The first chapter will be released tomorrow!

45 Chapters and over 100k words. It's been a heck of a ride so far, but we _still_ have a long way to go! So strap yourself in, _again,_ because we're taking off!

I've changed my mind. Instead of slowing down, we're going to keep on rolling! I'll continue posting 2 chapters per day, as usual. However, please be aware that Shippuden is a whole different ball game for me. There's thousands of potential plot holes that I could write myself into, the fights will be much longer and more detailed, and the chapters are most likely going to increase in length. Because of this, don't be surprised if every now and then you only get a single update in a day; that probably means I'm having issues with something, or IRL got in the way.

Shippuden is riddled with specific details and controversy. Please note, I've put a _**lot**_ of time into thinking about this and considering every single angle possible. That being said, if you think I've missed something or have made a mistake please let me know.

I'll give you an example:

I've been doing research on the details of the Mangekyou Sharingan and EMS. What would happen if, say, Sasuke with _**NO**_ Mangekyou and Itachi with Mangekyou but _**NOT**_ EMS were to swap eyes? Would Sasuke have a fresh mangekyou, EMS, or mangekyou and impaired vision due to Itachi already using the mangekyou so much? Would Itachi unlock mangekyou since he previously had it, or would he be stuck with triple tomoed regular sharingan?

(I've already pretty much come to a solid conclusion on these questions and It shouldn't even matter at all to the story, it was just something I was curious about, but if you'd like to give your opinion please feel free)

These are the kinds of details I look for. I try to get as specific as possible in order to avoid mistakes and plotholes. Still, I'm only human and I'll make mistakes; I also may make a decision when a specific detail is unclear that you might not agree with.

 _SO_ , that being said, please feel free to let me know if you think I've made a mistake, but also please be advised that just because I make what SEEMS to be a mistake, doesn't necessarily mean it IS a mistake! Such as me allowing Naruko to create 100 clones when she's "Not a Jinchuriki, Kane is, so how can she do that?" Try to give me the benefit of the doubt ;)

I always keep myself around 10 chapters ahead of what's released. Right now, I've completed the first ten chapters of Shippuden.

From now on, if I feel something should be addressed, I will write in A/N's at the end of the chapter. Don't expect to see them very often, I'm still trying to keep this story as professional as possible, but I won't shy away from them either.

As always, I've read each and every review from every single one of you. I can't believe the amazing feedback you guys have been giving me! It's truly above and beyond what I expected! Thanks so much! I hope you guys continue to give me the awesome feedback, It helps motivate me to keep writing and is the primary reason I've decided to keep the pace at 2 chapters per day instead of pulling it back to 1! You guys are awesome!

That pretty much covers it. I hope you enjoy our journey through Shippuden!

 _Shout Out Time!_

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 **aveshetta**

 **WolfbrotherTitan**

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 **Darth Jadus (Guest)**

 **D E X E**

 **Poli (Guest)**

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 **Chronic-Insomnia**

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 **Yexius**

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And, as always, several guests I can't specifically call out.

Thanks again for the awesome feedback everyone! I hope you continue to give me your input, I truly appreciate and value it!

-Traydox


	48. Chapter 46

Karin Uzumaki smiled as she watched her mother cook in the kitchen. Her mom was her most precious person, and she'd do anything for her.

Karin remembered a time when she was younger, where the two of them were homeless. Karin was young at the time, but she remembered vividly the fear she felt every night as she and her mom wandered the elemental nations with nowhere to call home.

Then, one day, a blessing came. Karin and her mom found out important information; their kin, Kushina Uzumaki, was the mother of the Fourth Hokage's daughter.

The girl, Naruko Namikaze, was around the same age as Karin; six years give or take a few months, and Karin and her mom immediately made their way for Konoha.

Along the way, the two entered River Country, and soon found themselves resting in Tanigakure. They'd come to love Tani, and stayed there far longer than they anticipated...

Tanigakure became their home.

Still, eventually the two made their way to Konoha, and it was there that Karin met Naruko Namikaze.

Her cousin.

The two hit it off immediately, and the Fourth Hokage was very generous. He offered them a place to stay, and told them that Konoha would always be their home, if they'd have it.

Karin found she loved her cousin dearly, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. There was just something special about Naruko Namikaze, and it wasn't just because they were kin. But, still, Karin and her mom had already found their home.

So the two eventually returned to Tani, where they would stay permanently. The only time Karin even left River Country was for the Chunin Exams, where she ran into Naruko Namikaze once again.

Naruko wasn't the only person she met there. She also met Sasuke Uchiha; prodigy of the Uchiha Clan, second place in academy student rankings of his year, and heir to the Uchiha Police Force.

Sasuke was just so _cute!_ Karin would be the first to admit she had a small crush on the dark haired boy.

She'd met Naruko's other teammate, too.

Karin's head snapped up as her mother gasped in shock and fear, the sound of glass shattering filling the air, and Karin was quick to jump to her feet, sprinting over to her mother.

"Mom! What's wrong?!" Karin yelled as her mother stood, staring into the living room, the food she'd been carrying towards the table in the room now scattered across the floor, shards of glass along with it.

Karin looked up and gasped in shock.

There was a man sitting on their couch, staring at the two of them, his arms thrown lazily along the top of the furniture.

 _'Wait a minute, is that?!'_

"Kane?! Kane Sanguis?!" Karin shouted in shock as her mother took several fearful steps behind her daughter.

Her mother had always been a medic. She was amazing when it came to healing, but she was _not_ a fighter. Karin was no better, but she wasn't as hopeless at it as her mother seemed to be.

"Karin Uzumaki." Kane drawled out slowly, as if testing the taste of the name on his lips.

Her mother grabbed her shoulder tightly with a hand as she asked fearfully, "Y-you know this man, Karin?!"

Karin nodded slowly, "Yeah. I met him in Konoha during the Chunin Exams. It's okay mom, he was one of Naru-chan's teammates."

The woman relaxed instantly at hearing the name, "Naruko-chan?! One of her teammates! Oh, I'm so sorry! Where are my manners?! Would you like something to drink, what was it, Kane-san?"

Kane nodded, his face still expresionless, "Water would be nice."

The woman beamed at him and scurried off to prepare his drink and finish cooking, and Karin scowled at Kane.

"Tch, 'where are my manners' she says, and yet _you're_ the one barging into our house as if you own the place! What the hell are you doing here, _Kane?!_ "

Kane simply hummed in response as he continued to stare at her.

Karin scowled as she carefully stepped over the glass shards on the floor and took a seat across from Kane.

Her mother came strolling back in, hopping straight over the mess she'd made with a carefree smile as she placed a bowl of assorted foods she'd been cooking onto the table before handing Kane a glass of water with ice.

"Thanks." Kane said dully as he accepted the drink and took a sip.

Karin's mother took a seat beside her, and seemed to notice for the first time the anger and tenseness of her daughter.

"Karin? Is everything alright?" She asked worriedly.

"No, mom, everything is _not_ alright. Kane's not a Shinobi of Konoha anymore, he's a _Missing Ninja._ "

Her mom gasped before eyeing Kane with fear once more. Kane kept his gaze fixated onto Karin, saying nothing in response.

Karin sighed and her glare lessened as she turned to her mom, "No, it's alright mom. He won't hurt us. He left because of... Complicated reasons."

Karin turned her gaze back to Kane, and the two simply stared at each other.

"Why don't I make us some tea?" Her mom said uncomfortably as she stood up and left the room.

Karin glared at Kane again, "You really hurt Naru-chan, bastard! How could you just up and leave like that?!"

Kane raised an eyebrow, "You've spoken to her?"

"Err... Well, not exactly. I haven't actually been to Konoha or seen her since the Chunin Exams... But still!"

Kane looked at her condescendingly, as if she were a small child, and Karin blushed in embarassment.

"Don't look at me like that! For the last time, what are you even doing here Kane?!"

"Akatsuki." Kane said simply, and Karin looked confused.

"Akatsuki?"

Kane nodded, "It's a group of several S-Ranked Missing Ninja."

Karin's eyes widened, since when did S class rogue's start working together?!

"Alright... What about them?"

"I'm hunting them." Kane said simply.

Karin stared at him as if he was crazy, "You're... Hunting them?"

Kane nodded.

"Uh huh... Kane, are you crazy?! You can't fight S-Ranked Shinobi!"

Karin remembered the young Genin she sat beside at the Chunin Exams. She remembered the boy that would blush around Naru-chan, and the boy that didn't even know he was apart of a clan. The boy that seemed unspectacular, and unimportant.

"I'm sure I'll manage." Kane said with a dark glint in his eye.

Karin remembered the boy that stood before several Jounin, and stared as they collapsed and writhed on the ground in front of him.

Karin shivered.

Her mom walked in then, setting three cups filled with tea on the table and taking one herself before moving back to her seat. Karin leaned forward and grabbed the second, and Kane ignored the tea completely.

"Alright, fine, do what you want. You _still_ haven't told me, what are you doing here, Kane?!"

"I want you to come with me."

The two Uzumaki froze.

"Karin? What does he mean... 'Come with him'? I thought... I thought you said he was a Missing Ninja?" Her mother asked slowly.

"He is..." Karin responded dryly.

"Then... When he says 'come with him', he means-"

"He wants me to abandon Tani and go rogue." Karin confirmed.

The woman looked horrified, "What?! NO!" She stood up and for the first time looked angry as she glared at Kane, "My daughter will do no such thing!"

"Mom!" Karin snapped and the woman flinched, looking at her daughter in fear and trepidition.

"Karin, you can't! I won't let you! Tani is your home, _our_ home!"

"I know, mom. I love Tani as much as you, but please sit down and let's talk about this rationally."

The woman looked like she wanted to argue, but she kept quiet and sat back down.

"Why would I abandon my home just to follow you, Kane?" Karin flared her nostrils as she glared at him.

Kane shrugged, "Do what you want. I won't force you to come with me, but I need a partner, and you're a perfect choice."

Karin looked confused, "Why me? I'm not much of a fighter..."

Kane's eyes had a strange glint to them, "Your healing powers are a good... Fit, for me."

Karin glared again, "What do I get out of this? I'd be giving up my home... My family."

Kane rolled his eyes slowly, deliberately, "Nothing. You'll be helping me kill off an organization that's hunting me, and that's it."

"Hunting you?"

"Akatsuki is going to start going around the elemental nations, collecting the nine biju."

The two Uzumaki both looked shocked.

"Wait, if they're hunting you, that means..." The matriarch spoke.

"Kane has the nine tailed fox sealed inside him. That's why he betrayed Konoha." Karin spoke simply.

"And now I'm hunting the Akatsuki." Kane finished.

Karin glared, "You came all the way out to Tani just to ask me to betray my home and leave my family? And I don't even get anything out of it?! You sure thought this through, Kane."

Kane shrugged, "I don't exactly have much else to do. I'm waiting for word on the Akatsuki, and then I'll start tracking them."

"How did you even get into Tani?!"

"I walked."

"Bullshit! You can't just enter a village when you're a rogue ninja, and Tani is in good standing with Konoha! They'd imprison you faster than you could say 'hello'!"

Kane shrugged.

Karin continued to glare as her mother looked on worriedly.

Kane glared, the first emotion he'd shown since arriving, and the two Uzumaki visibly flinched in fear.

"I must insist you give me your answer right now. As you've pointed out, I'm not welcome here, and I need to be on my way."

"Of course she says no! You-"

"I'll do it."

Her mother looked at her in shock as Kane smirked in response.

"Karin! You-"

"Mom, Naru-chan... She cares about Kane. A lot. He's been missing for three years, mom, and now... Here he is."

She looked pleadingly at her mother, "I'll come back. I'll explain everything! They love us here, we've done so much to help out with our healing... They'll understand! And if they don't, we can just move to Konoha. It'll be fine!"

"Karin! It's dangerous! S-Ranked Shinobi?! You're not a fighter!"

"I know, but mom... I can't just let Kane walk out of here. How would I ever face Naru-chan again? If me following Kane means I can help keep him from getting himself killed, I have to go. I have to do this for Naru-chan."

"Karin! Please don't!"

"I have to!"

Her mother began crying as she grabbed her and pulled her into a deep embrace.

"My only daughter, leaving so suddenly, and on such a dangerous mission..."

"Mom..." Karin whined as she too began crying.

Kane watched emotionlessly as the two Uzumaki women said their farewells.

* * *

"Are you ready or not?!" Naruko snapped, anger rolling off the girl in waves.

"Yeah I'm ready." Sasuke snapped back, not appreciating her tone but understanding why she was so touchy.

"Then let's go!"

Naruko, Sasuke and Kakashi took off heading out of the village, and Naruko began shaking in rage, her eyes turning red and slitted as she started growling.

"Naruko! Calm down!" Kakashi demanded and Naruko glared at the white haired man in response.

"Calm down?! How can you tell me to calm down?! Those bastards, they-"

"I know, Naruko. I get it. But you have to reign in your emotions, you're letting the Kyuubi influence you and the effects are becoming visible! If Akatsuki sees you like this, then the secrets out. You have to calm down. For _Kane_."

Naruko growled, but took a deep breath and her features relaxed, her eyes returning the their typical cerulean.

"We have to get to Suna, _now._ " Naruko declared.

"We'll make it in time, idiot, so just relax. We won't let them hurt him."

Naruko nodded and the three picked up the pace once more.

 _'I'm coming, Gaara!'_

* * *

Kane and Karin were slowly making their way through Tani, Karin looking deeply into every crack and crevice she saw, attempting to imprint the area into her memory.

Karin gasped as Kane suddenly shot passed her and grabbed a civilian, throwing the man into the wall and leaning in close, their noses almost touching.

"Kane! What the hell are you doing?!" She shouted as she ran up to the two.

"Say that again." Kane demanded, his voice low.

"T-t-the word just came! The Sand Village was attacked! The Kazekage was captured! Nobody knows who did it!"

Kane let the man go and he was quick to run away.

"Kane?" Karin asked slowly as he turned towards her, his face serious.

"Akatsuki."

Kane began walking off, and Karin quickly jogged to catch up to him.

"Wait, where are we going?! How do you know it was Akatsuki that attacked Suna?!"

Kane ignored her completely as she tripped, nearly falling flat on her face. She managed to catch herself, and ran once again to catch up to the quickly walking Kane.

"Kane! At least tell me where we're going!"

"We're going to Suna."

* * *

End of Chapter 46


	49. Chapter 47

Tani wasn't far from Suna, only a day in fact. It was because of this that on the very same day that Kane recruited Karin, he also found himself being subjected to her whining.

"But it's so hot! You seriously don't have anything to drink in that backpack you're carrying?!"

"No."

He did, but it wasn't for her.

She groaned at this, "We couldn't have at least grabbed a few essentials before heading out?"

"No. I won't miss out on this opportunity." Kane replied back simply.

Karin huffed as the two continued their long march through the desert, "You really are an idiot! Just like how you didn't think it through when you came to recruit me, you didn't think this through either! We're completely unprepared!"

She could think what she wanted. He wasn't an idiot.

Naruko Namikaze changed people. She had something special about her, and Kane wouldn't even dream of denying that, he'd felt it himself.

He remembered when he was just a child. He remembered how, after Naruko snubbed him, he wanted nothing more than for the girl to change her mind and continue playing with him once again.

He hadn't been angry. No thoughts of retribution. No bitter feelings. Nothing.

It was as if it was impossible to be mad at the girl. There was just something about her that made people want to be the best they could be around her. At age twelve people were already calling for her to receive the hat once her father retired, and it had nothing to do with her last name. She just had that effect on people.

He knew Karin felt it, too. The girl clearly cared deeply for Naruko, if their few interactions Kane saw were anything to go by.

Karin could think what she wanted about him. He knew, the moment she saw him, she was his. He knew, if for no other reason than because of her connection to Naruko Namikaze, that the woman would accept his gross and neglible terms and follow him. He had banked on Naruko's effect, and turned it into his advantage.

He knew Karin wouldn't say no.

* * *

As she continued the walk back to Suna, Temari shivered. Something felt... Off. She didn't know why she felt like this, but it wasn't pleasant. She felt as if something bad was going to happen.

Temari turned as she felt the oncoming presence of several Shinobi, and her eyes widened when Team 7 appeared in front of her.

She locked eyes with Naruko Namikaze, and the look in her eyes told Temari all she needed to know.

"Gaara's in trouble."

Temari glared off to the side.

 _'I knew I was getting a bad feeling!'_

"Let's get moving then!"

Naruko nodded fiercely, and the now four shinobi took to the trees.

* * *

"Do you think he's dead?" Karin asked with reluctance as Kane stood beside an unmoving body, laying in the middle of the desert.

Kane kicked the body in the side, and Karin gasped.

"Kane! You can't just-"

"He's alive, but something's wrong with him." Kane interrupted, his eyes staring at the body curiously.

"Something's wrong with him... Yeah, no shit Kane! He's unconscious in the middle of the desert! What do you mean 'something's wrong'?! Are you slow?! Man, this is what I was talking about when I said you-"

"That's not what I meant." Kane interrupted again, annoyed at the rant the girl was putting him through.

Karin blinked, "Huh? What did you mean then?"

She walked closer and scrutinized the body, before gasping, "Hey wait! I know him! Doesn't he look familiar to you, Kane?! This is one of the Sand ninja from the Chunin Exam Finals!"

Kane nodded, "Yeah, you're right. He was one of Gaara's teammates."

"What was his name again?"

"Who cares?"

Karin gave him an annoyed look, and Kane frowned deeply at Kankuro's prone form.

 _'The wound he has on him isn't very large. I'll just make a bigger one to save time.'_

Karin gasped in shock as Kane pulled out a kunai and sliced Kankuro across the stomach, "Kane?! What the hell are you-"

And she immediately closed her mouth as she watched blood flow out from the fresh wound and into the air, floating in front of Kane.

Kane scrutinized the blood closely, before waving his hand and the majority of the blood was flung through the air and onto the sands of the desert. Karin cringed at the sight.

 _'This bloods infected. Poison. Wonder who did this to him... I remember him being a pretty strong guy. He was no Gaara, but he wasn't a pushover either.'_

Kane shrugged to himself before dropping the rest of the blood onto the ground.

Then, he took a single step over Kankuro's body, and walked away.

Karin rushed to catch up with him, "Kane?! We can't just leave him!"

"He's not our problem." Kane said flatly.

Karin scowled, "If we leave him he'll die!"

"So?"

"So we can't just abandon someone in need! What would Naru-chan think?!" Karin snapped as she positioned herself in front of him and threw her arms out to the sides.

Kane scowled at the girl intentionally blocking his path, "He was poisoned. I removed the poison from his body, he'll be fine. That guy's one of the Kazekage's old teammates; Suna will find him eventually. And if they don't I repeat, _he's not our problem._ "

Kane stepped under the girls left arm and began marching once more.

Karin glared but reluctantly accepted, following Kane once again.

 _'At least he removed the poison from him...'_ Karin thought to herself, trying to convince herself what they were doing was okay.

As she stared at her companion's back, she came to a startling conclusion.

 _'He's not the same guy anymore. He's changed.'_

Karin used her sensory abilities to stare at Kane's Chakra signiature.

 _'He's so much... Darker, than I remember...'_

* * *

"I have come to ask for your assistance!" Baki spoke to the elderly couple before him.

"An organization called the Akatsuki has taken the Shukaku! If we leave things as they stand now, there will be great trouble!"

"It's your generation now. You guys deal with it yourselves." The old man replied dismissively.

As Baki went into a long speech about how great and powerful and well connected the two of them were, Lady Chiyo contemplated the situation.

Would she help? Or would she leave them out to dry?

"Ahhh quiet down now." She interrupted Baki mid speech, and the man went silent.

"What exactly do you want from us? We're just a couple of old geezers."

"Kankuro has been retrieved from his rescue attempt. He was found in the middle of the desert, unconscious. He awoke some hours ago, and I thought you might like to here what he had to say..."

"Hmm? And what could he have to say that would interest me?" Lady Chiyo asked.

"He fought Sasori, of the Red Sand."

* * *

Lady Chiyo felt annoyance bubble in her chest.

To think, they'd asked Konoha for support! This was part of the problem! Suna had grown soft. Weak. They relied to heavily on their alliances for support! They needed to be able to take care of themselves, not rely on other villages to bail them out!

Still, the woman heaved a sigh, perhaps this time asking for help would be acceptable.

They'd need all the help they could get if Sasori was involved.

* * *

"Gah! This tanks!" Naruko yelled in frustration as she grabbed at her hair.

"Be quiet, idiot. Complaining won't solve anything." Sasuke snapped.

Temari sighed as she stared out from the cave the four were inside.

 _'My little brother gets kidnapped, and I get stuck in one of the biggest sandstorms I've ever seen... Just great!'_

* * *

"We have a problem." Zetsu spoke up.

"How many?"

"Two. They both appear to be rogue ninja, too."

"There have been a lot of problems this time around, Deidara." Pain spoke.

"Ahh, yeah, well uh... This demon was a bit harder than the other two, heh!"

"I told you that your skills weren't good for stealth."

"You're one to talk! Your traps caused a huge ruckus too!" Deidara snapped back at his partner.

"Why you little-"

"Enough! Just focus on the technique. We'll let the dopple take care of it."

* * *

"Kane, what the hell is that?!" Karin shouted as she pointed at a _second_ Kane, standing across from them, and a _second_ Karin standing behind the dopple of Kane.

"It looks like us."

"No shit! What the hell is going on, Kane?!"

Kane watched curiously as his dopple began manipulating water from the river near them into the air, a large tendril of water wrapping itself around the dopple like a scarf.

"W-what the?!" Karin gasped in shock.

"Hmm. It would appear these dopples can do anything the originals can as well."

"W-what? Are you saying _you_ can do that?!"

Kane said nothing as he smirked at his counterpart, his thoughts drifting to a conversation he had with his old sensei long ago.

* * *

 _"Yuka-sensei, what happens if two Sanguis try to manipulate blood at the same time?"_

 _The old woman glanced at him with her silver, grayish eyes and smirked._

 _"A good question, brat. Don't get too many of those from you."_

 _Kane looked offended, but said nothing._

 _"It's really quite simple... There's no such thing as skill or power when it comes to the Chi Sosa. There is only experience."_

 _"What do you mean?" Kane asked curiously._

 _"It doesn't matter how good you are, how skilled you are, all that matters is experience. Even someone as great as Braenaru, or Naibu will have the same control as the weakest of the Sanguis clan, provided the experience with the Chi Sosa is the same."_

 _"So, what happens if two Sanguis try to manipulate the blood, and they're both experienced?"_

 _"They'll split it. Both Shinobi will take control of the half closest to their person."_

 _Kane nodded, "And if one of them lacks the proper experience?"_

 _"Then they get nothing."_

* * *

"What're the odds the dopple has experience with my Kekkei Genkai, Karin?" Kane asked as he continued to smirk.

"Huh?" She asked stupidly, the question taking her off guard.

"Nevermind, I can find out myself."

Kane watched as the same tendril of water wrapped around his dopple flung the dopple into the river nearby, and Kane willed the water surrounding the dopple to heat to a boil.

Kane turned to the dopple of Karin, and repeated the process.

That was too easy.

Kane frowned.

That was _too easy._

Why was Karin's dopple so easy to take out? It spoke volumes of the girl's combat prowess, and Kane found himself displeased at that fact.

He shook his head. It didn't matter. He hadn't chosen the girl for her combat prowess to begin with.

* * *

"Alright, if we're done talking, let's go already! We have to save Gaara!" Naruko snapped, and soon Team 7 along with Temari and Lady Chiyo began making their way towards the direction they knew Gaara to be in.

 _'I'm coming Gaara, just hold on!'_

* * *

"Kane, there are several Chakra signiatures up ahead, but..." The redhead trailed off.

"But what?"

"There's something strange going on. There's... I don't know how to explain it. It's a huge ball of Chakra, and it's... Consuming the Chakra of the person in the middle. There are several Chakra signiatures surrounding that."

"They're probably extracting the biju from Gaara. The man in Tani said he was kidnapped."

"Gaara... I heard he became Kazekage... Man, I would hate to have a guy like him as my leader. No wonder Suna's under such turmoil!" Karin shivered.

Kane said nothing as the two came to a halt.

They found themselves staring at a giant boulder with a seal on it.

"Wait, something's happening." Karin spoke as her eyes narrowed. Kane turned to face her and waited patiently.

"They've stopped... I think, whatever it is they were doing in there, they've finished..."

Kane huffed, "Looks like we didn't make it in time to foil their plans then."

* * *

"The two outside, one of them is the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox. I'm sure of it!" Zetsu announced.

"Deidara, Sasori, I want him _alive._ "

"Understood." Sasori replied.

"Itachi, wasn't that supposed to be your target?" Deidara asked with a smirk at the Uchiha.

Itachi stared at them with red, Sharingan eyes, and said nothing.

"There are more coming. Five more, to be exact. Three Konoha Shinobi." Zetsu continued.

"Deidara, take care of them while I deal with the Jinchuriki and his partner." Sasori demanded.

"Hn! Fine!"

"Oh man we're missing all of the action! No fair!" Hidan moaned.

"Relax, we'll get our chance." Kakuzu responded as the two of them disappeared.

"Well then, we'll go too." Kisame said before disappearing.

"Itachi, what kind of person is the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails?" Sasori asked.

Itachi stared at Sasori in silence.

"Tell him." Pain said before disappearing.

"I do not know. I know nothing about him, but..." Itachi trailed off.

"Hmm?" Sasori prodded.

"He's not normal."

"What? What the heck does that mea-"

Itachi vanished.

"Tch. Prick."

* * *

"So how are we supposed to get inside?" Karin asked.

Kane shrugged, staring at the rock.

"I don't know much about seals. I guess we'll sit here and wait for them to come out."

"What?! You can't be serious. You-"

Karin stopped the oncoming rant as the giant boulder _exploded_. She shrieked as Kane narrowed his eyes at the two figures walking out from the smoke.

 _'And so it begins.'_

* * *

End of Chapter 47.

A/N:

As you can see, some slight changes will be made as we go along. In Cannon, Kankuro is returned to Suna before Naruto Sakura and Kakashi even meet up with Temari. In Cannon, Naruto and friends make it to the rock a bit earlier than they do in this timeline. Etc. Don't think too deeply about these changes; the entire timeline has shifted because of Naruko being born a girl, and sometimes this will only have minor effects such as this.


	50. Chapter 48

The four stared each other down, the atmosphere filled with quiet tension.

Karin jumped, clearly startled and she gave Kane a concerned look. He tilted his head to raise an eyebrow at her.

"There are five Chakra signiatures headed our way..."

Kane tsked, _'Great, just what I needed, more complications...'_

"One of them..." Karin continued hesitantly.

"One of them, what?"

"One of them feels the same as Naru-chan..."

Kane glared at her harshly, "What do you mean?"

"I _mean,_ Naru-chan has always felt different from everyone else... Her Chakra has always felt, I don't know, brighter... And now that same Chakra signiature is headed our way. It's almost _certainly_ Naru-chan herself. I've never felt anyone even closely resemble her."

Kane's eyes narrowed as he focused back on the two ninja standing across from them, _'Team 7 Is nearby, huh? Great... Perfect time for a reunion.'_ Kane thought sarcastically.

"Deidara, go take care of the others. I'll capture the Jinchuriki."

"Sure, whatever you say hnn."

Kane and Karin watched as from out of the cave behind the Akatsuki duo, a giant white bird walked out, carrying Gaara in one of his claws.

"They're probably looking for him, anyway, so I'll just lure them away. Have fun!" Deidara smirked before hopping onto the clay bird and taking flight.

Kane ignored Deidara completely as he flew above and passed them.

"Kane? We're just letting him go? I thought you wanted to hunt down every Akatsuki member!"

"Hunt us?" Sasori, inside Hiruko, mumbled to himself.

"If letting one of them get away for now means that there won't be anyone else interfering, then that's what we'll do. Right now, all I care about is the enemy in front of me." Kane spoke as he glared harshly at Sasori.

"You want me, Jinchuriki? Well, I want you too. Come and get me!"

Hiruko jumped backwards into the cave, and Kane growled.

Kane tossed his backpack at Karin, the girl catching it with a gasp as she fell on her rear.

"Stay out of the way, Karin. I'll handle him myself. Don't go anywhere."

And then Kane was following Sasori into the cave, Karin giving a huff of annoyance.

* * *

"Someone's coming!" Sasuke said and the five Shinobi came to a halt.

They stared for several seconds, waiting, before Temari shouted, "Up there!" and pointed above the treeline.

All five Shinobi watched as Deidara, seemingly noticing them for the first time, changed direction and began flying off.

"He's got Gaara!" Naruko screamed as she took off.

"Naruko, wait!" Kakashi yelled and the four Shinobi took off after the blonde haired girl.

* * *

Kane glared at the scorpion-like man. There was water below him and partially inside of the cave, however none beyond that point. There was plenty of light and it was easy to see his opponent. The cave was monstrously large, and he could see how it was the perfect location to extract the Shukaku from Gaara.

Kane knew it wasn't the best idea to tell Karin to stay away. Why had he even bothered to bring the girl with him if he wasn't going to use her?

Still, he didn't want her getting in his way. Not now. He wanted to fight this battle on his own. This would be the first real fight he'd ever been in. At least, he hoped it would. He was tired of not being challenged.

"Well, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, are you ready?" Sasori rasped in his Hiruko voice.

Kane cracked his neck as he continued glaring at the Akatsuki member.

This would be his first test. The first real fight he'd ever been in where his victory wasn't assured. The first of many Akatsuki members he would kill.

 _'This is where I prove my strength!'_

* * *

Deidara smirked as he stared at the five ninja struggling to keep up with him.

 _'I don't want to go too far, as soon as Sasori catches that other Jinchuriki I'll let them take this one's corpse, and then I'll grab Sasori and the other Jinchuriki and take off. I need to stay close so I can grab him when he's ready.'_

He glanced back at the fierce blonde that was closest to him, her eyes staring at the dead Jinchuriki below him, and he smirked again.

 _'It's too bad I'm low on clay. I wouldn't mind giving these guys a good show. Oh well.'_

Deidara eyed the silver haired ninja among the back group cautiously.

 _'Perhaps it's better this way. That's Sharingan Kakashi, the Copy Ninja himself...'_

 _"Chidori Nagashi!"_

Deidara ducked and his clay bird dove slightly to the left as a bolt of lightning flew passed him, courtesy of Sasuke.

 _'Tch, I hope he doesn't take too long.'_

* * *

Sasori used the large, scorpion tail of Hiruko to tear apart his Akatsuki cloak, throwing it off to the side as he revealed his entire body. A huge mask sat atop his back, his tail emerging from the mouth of the smiling mask.

"Well? Come then, Jinchuriki!"

Kane charged, and Sasori's eyes widened. He quickly threw up his tail in front of him, blocking several kunai as he glared to the left at Kane.

 _'He's fast!'_

Kane charged forward and sliced into the side of Hiruko with a kunai, his eyes narrowing as the blade scratched the hollow surface of the puppet.

He jumped away as Hiruko's tail swung at him and Sasori turned to face him again.

 _'I knew this guy wasn't normal. That's not a real body... It's a puppet! This guy's a puppet user. Then where's his real body?'_ Kane thought as he looked around.

Hiruko opened its mouth and shot a huge barrage of senbon needles at Kane. Kane's eyes widened before he began dodging and weaving the needles with fluidity.

 _'He's fast, I'm never going to hit him with something this simple.'_ Sasori realized with annoyance.

As the barrage halted, Kane charge once more.

Hiruko swung it's large tail, and Kane jumped over it before stomping on Hiruko's back with all his might. A loud _**'thunk!'**_ reverberated across the room as Kane jumped away and glared distastefully.

He hadn't even put a dent in it.

 _'I don't know where the real body is, and I sure as hell can't break that puppet. I don't want to give anything away, not until I find the real puppet master...'_

Hiruko turned and launched more senbon needles, and Kane began dodging and weaving them yet again.

 _'Tch, there's no point in going on like this. I might be safe inside Hiruko, but I'm getting nowhere. I need to end this as quickly as possible. Knowing Deidara, the fool's going to lead them right to me, and then I'll have even more opponents to deal with.'_

The mouth on the back of Hiruko opened up even wider, and a shadowy figure jumped out from inside it, landing behind the puppet.

Kane's eyes narrowed.

 _'He was inside that thing the whole time? This guy's no ordinary Puppet Master.'_

He watched closely as the figure removed its cloak to reveal a young redhead, probably close to the same age as Kane, with wide greyish-brown eyes. He was wearing another Akatsuki cloak.

 _'Still, now I see him. He should've stayed in his little toy. After all...'_

Kane charged him.

 _'I only have to draw blood!'_

Sasori smirked as Hiruko began shooting _even more_ senbon needles at him. As Kane began dodging the needles, quickly making his way towards Sasori, the red head called out, "Want to see my favorite toy?!"

Sasori held up a small scroll, and suddenly there was a _**'poof!'**_ as a large body of smoke appeared around Sasori. Kane halted his progress, still dodging senbon needles, as he stared into the smoke with trepidition.

From out of the smoke appeared Sasori's "favorite toy", a large man with yellow eyes and dark hair standing slightly behind the red head.

Kane narrowed his eyes as the senbon barrage halted.

"Come on then, Jinchuriki, let's have some fun!"

* * *

"Get **BACK** here!" Naruko screamed again as she continued chasing Deidara in a huge circle, the man making sure to keep the entrance of the cave within his sights.

"Kakashi!" Sasuke yelled out and the man turned to look at his student.

Sasuke eyed Temari and Lady Chiyo warily before saying, "What're we going to do if Naruko... Starts being influenced?"

Temari and Lady Chiyo looked curiously at the two men.

Kakashi looked back at Sasuke lazily, "We'll just have to make sure nobody sees then, eh?"

Sasuke nodded, and turned before firing off another Chidori Nagashi at the bird in the sky.

* * *

 _'What the hell is this sand?!'_ Kane thought to himself as he continued dodging both the sand and the senbon.

 _'It's just like Gaara's sand, but there's something different about it... I have to make sure I don't let it touch me!'_

"You know, it's funny. I haven't fought a Sanguis in quite a while!" Sasori called out, and Kane narrowed his eyes. The constant barrage of sand and senbon stopped temporarily, and Kane huffed.

"You know my name?"

"Of course I do, you idiot. I'm the best at information gathering in the Akatsuki, and everyone knows who _you_ are. Kane Sanguis, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, traitor to the Hidden Leaf Village." Sasori smirked at him.

Kane tsked, "So you've fought other Sanguis' before then?"

"Only one. He was quite the fighter, too! Almost had me worried for a while there. _Naibu Sanguis..._ One of the most skilled ninja I've ever come across, I'll admit!"

Kane's eyes widened.

"In the end, he couldn't hold up. He lost, and I won. I'm not sure how, but I heard he survived our little battle, too. I scratched his neck up real good. He must've gotten treated pretty quickly to have survived not only the wound, but the poison too."

Kane's eyes narrowed at that piece of information.

 _'This guy's a poison user... I better be aware of that. And he's the one who beat Naibu in one on one... The one who gave him his scar...'_

"Hate to break it to you, but he's dead. I killed him." Kane said flatly, and Sasori shrugged.

"Doesn't mean anything to me. But, I heard there were only two of you left... Does that make you the last Sanguis?" Kane nodded boredly, and Sasori smirked at this.

"It'll be an honor to be the final fight of the last member of that wretched clan. It's too bad I can't kill you like you deserve, we need your demon, but I'll enjoy taking you down regardless."

Kane said nothing as Sasori huffed.

"Why don't you quit playing around, then? Go ahead. Show me your Kekkei Genkai! Let me see that oh so crude blood release!"

Kane smirked.

If he wanted to see his Kekkei Genkai...

Then Kane would show him!

 _"Water Style: Water Bullets!"_ Kane yelled before spitting out three balls of water at the puppet of the Third Kazekage. Sasori's eyes narrowed and just before the bullets hit the puppet, the Hiruko puppet jumped in the way and blocked them, getting launched backwards and breaking apart from the force of the jutsu.

The third Kazekage's sand formed a huge spike and flew at Kane. And then, Sasori's eyes widened as he watched a tendril of water from the lake behind Kane fly up and collide with the iron sand, and glared distastefully as the iron powder turned red and fell to the floor, no longer able to be controlled.

"I'm probably the worst opponent for you!" Kane yelled out with a smirk as the water flowed around him freely.

Sasori was about to speak, before his eyes widened as his instincts led him to jump away, watching in shock as the same water that was used in the water bullets flew from behind him and slammed into the Kazekage. The water completely soaked the puppet, and Sasori found he could no longer move it.

"You're just like the Jinchuriki! You can control water instead of sand!"

"Correct." Kane said with a smirk.

 _'He soaked the Third Kazekage, and he's controlling the water that soaked inside the puppet to prevent me from moving it...'_

Sasori glared at the red powder on the ground, _'It wouldn't have mattered anyway. Water mixing with Iron Powder makes Iron Oxide, and I can't control that anymore. He wasn't going to be helpful anymore to begin with.'_

A Sanguis that controlled water instead of, or along with, blood?

Itachi had been right. This kid wasn't normal.

Sasori smirked, "Well well well! Quite a nuisance you are!"

Kane smirked right back, "It's over for you, Akatsuki."

Sasori's smirk fell, "You know, I just realized. I know your name, but you don't seem to know mine."

Kane launched himself at Sasori, _'I'll just draw his blood, and then it'll all be over!'_

"How disrespectful of me. I apologize for that." Sasori continued.

As Kane appeared in front of Sasori, he swung his kunai across the red heads chest, slicing apart his Akatsuki cloak and making contact with his torso.

 _ **'Thunk!'**_

Kane's eyes widened in horror.

Sasori grabbed Kane's right shoulder with his left arm, and pointed his right hand at Kane's face. His Akatsuki cloak fell off his body to reveal several blades sticking out from his back, several scrolls hooked to it as well, wire sticking out from his stomach and a strange red cylindrical container in his chest where his heart was supposed to be.

Sasori took his arm, a blade extending from seemingly nowhere, and swung it at Kane's neck. Kane jolted backwards, attempting to dodge, but the blade struck true as it sliced the left side of his neck.

 _"My name is Sasori, of the Red Sand!"_

* * *

 _'Man, what the hell is taking Sasori so long?! He should've sent some sort of signal by now!'_ Deidara thought in annoyance as he continued to lead Team 7, Temari and Lady Chiyo on a wild goose chase.

 _"Give Gaara Back!"_ Naruko screamed, and Deidara sighed in annoyance.

 _'This girl's like a broken record, I swear...'_

"Gaara! Gaara, what are you doing?! Wake up! Wake up! You have to wake up! Gaara!" Naruko screamed, and Deidara rolled his eyes at the girl's naivete.

 _'He's long gone, stupid girl. He's been dead for quite a while.'_ Deidara thought to himself as he smirked down at the red head in his clay birds claws.

* * *

Kane landed on both feet and his left hand, his right gripping the open wound on his neck. He continually gasped in pain, and he slowly removed his bloodied hand as he forced to blood to stay within his body.

 _'That would've killed me, if I wasn't able to stop the blood from gushing out of this wound... I have to get this treated, and fast! I don't know what kind of effects leaving a wound like this alone will have, even if there's no chance of blood loss!'_

Kane glared at Sasori, and the red head continued smirking down at him.

 _'He's a puppet! He's a freaking puppet! Is he not even the original puppet master?! No, that's not right... It's him, I know it is! Then how?! How did he turn his body into a puppet?!'_

Sasori aimed both arms at him, and Kane's eyes widened.

From small holes in his palms, fire shot out towards Kane. Quickly, Kane willed water from the river behind him forward and the two elements clashed into each other, both constant and steady streams of force.

"That water is quite a nuisance! What do you say we get rid of it?!" Sasori yelled out, and before Kane realized what was happening, the fire stream halted and several kunai flew through the air towards the top of the entrance of the cave. Attached to the kunai were paper bombs, and a huge explosion shook the area as the cave entrance collapsed on itself.

Kane looked behind him in horror as the river was no longer in sight, the cave darkening to a large degree as the only source of light came from small holes on the other side of the cave.

 _'Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit! How could I let him do that?!'_

Kane forced himself to calm down and evaluate the situation.

There was still a large amount of water in the cave, both from his water bullets and leftover from the river. He didn't have as much, but he had enough to work with to a smaller degree.

There were holes of light on the other side of the cave.

 _'I could will the water from the river across the area and to the other side of the cave... Then it could steadily flow through the holes...'_

Kane began doing just that.

 _'It's going to take some time before it gets here!'_

In the meantime, Kane began using the water from the river and bashing against the rock wall, hoping to force his way through.

 _'Shit, this is not good!'_

And as Sasori pulled a scroll from his back, he knew.

It was only going to get worse.

* * *

Karin screamed as an explosion near her took place, and rocks began falling until finally blocking the entrance completely.

"Kane! Are you alright?!" Karin screamed as she ran towards the entrance, only to scream once again and jump away as the water she was previously standing on began rising and slamming itself into the rocks over and over again. Several tendrils of water shot from the river into the sky, and began gliding along the surface of the earth towards an unknown destination.

"What the hell is going on?!" Karin screamed out again.

* * *

Deidara looked over in shock as a huge bang took place near the cave he left Sasori and the Jinchuriki at.

 _'Was that the signal?'_

He narrowed his eyes, _'No, he wouldn't do something so flashy... He would've done something different to get my attention. He's still fighting the Jinchuriki!'_ Deidara realized with a grimace.

Deidara yelled in shock as electricity flew right over his shoulder, and he looked bewildered down at the brat that shot it at him.

 _'He... He missed? How could he miss, I wasn't paying attention! I was an open shot!'_

Deidara's eyes glanced towards the redhead below him, and he smirked.

 _'He doesn't want to hurt the corpse! Ahahaha! That's too good!'_

His mirth was cut short as he gasped and gripped his bird in surprise when it jostled. He looked at the back only to find the blonde brat ontop of his bird with him!

"Give Gaara _**BACK!**_ "

 _'Son of a... Sasori, hurry the hell up!'_

* * *

End of Chapter 48


	51. Chapter 49

_'I should be dead...'_ Kane realized with horror.

Sasori hadn't been aiming to kill him, he knew that Kane wouldn't bleed out! He knew that Kane could prevent his blood from flowing out of an open wound. He hadn't been trying to kill him when he sliced his neck open!

 _'But he could have...'_

Sasori had _let_ him live.

The thought was sobering for Kane.

To think, just several hours ago Kane had felt invincible. He'd yet to be truly challenged, and even both Naibu and the legendary Jiraiya of the Sannin had fallen before him, and that was years ago when he was a weakling!

Kane had thought, truly, there wasn't a ninja alive that he couldn't beat.

And now, here he was, fighting an enemy who _didn't bleed._

 _Puppets don't have blood._

 _'Turns out, Yuka-sensei was right, as always...'_

She had told him not to rely on a gimmick.

Sasori smirked at him, and Kane grimaced as he slowly let go of his sliced neck.

 _'That blade he stabbed me with...'_

Kane stared at one of the several blades exuding from Sasori's back, each one dripping with a purple liquid.

 _'It was poisoned...'_

Kane willed the infected blood to stop spreading, and forced it downward and into his left shoulder, keeping it stationed there.

 _'I can't let him keep poisoning me... There's only so much I can hold at a time before I start running out of blood.'_

"You know, it's strange," Sasori called out to him, "That other Jinchuriki used Sand, because his biju was a Sand Spirit... You, on the other hand, use water, and I'm fairly certain the Nine Tails is _no_ Water Spirit."

Kane said nothing as he continued to glare at the red head.

 _'Let him talk, every second he wastes I come closer to reaching those holes, or breaking through those rocks...'_

Kane could feel the landscape as the water continued maneuvering towards the holes at the back of the cave. He couldn't see anything around the water, so as his tendrils ran into trees and other terrain he was forced to make his way around the area. He may have been able to feel anything the water touched, but the water had to touch it first.

He considered sending the water higher into the sky and flying above the trees, but it was already a struggle to maintain control with the distance given, any further and Kane feared he'd lose control. He'd have to deal with doing things to slow way. It would take some time before he managed to get to the holes.

He glanced at the rock wall behind him. He was making even less progress on that front. He could feel the rocks slowly giving way, but they wouldn't be moving anytime soon. He tried to slide the water inbetween the cracks between rocks, but it was too tight. He was only able to get about halfway with each path he took, and the amount of concentration required to flow through such small spaces was too difficult for him at the moment.

"I wonder, when are you going to show me your demon? You've yet to use it. Yours is the strongest, right? For that matter, you haven't shown me much of your blood either! I remember Naibu throwing that shit around like it was nothing, so why haven't you?" Sasori asked curiously.

Kane said nothing as he continued glaring at him.

Sasori shrugged, "Don't want to talk? Fine then. No more talking!"

Sasori smirked as he dropped the scroll in his hand, and with a quick _**'poof!'**_ a _huge_ cloud of smoke appeared. Kane stared in shock; this might've been the biggest smoke screen he'd ever seen!

As the smoke cleared, Kane felt dread fill him.

He found himself staring at hundreds of puppets, all flying in the air, and all facing him.

* * *

Deidara jumped backwards, barely avoiding a hand filled with lightning as Kakashi attempted to Chidori him.

Deidara sneered at the copy ninja before glancing over at the blonde haired girl. She was surrounded by the two Sand Kunoichi, the old woman and the dirty blonde, and the three of them were attempting to wake up the corpse of the Jinchuriki.

Deidara gasped as he felt a foot collide with his back. He fell to the ground and turned to glare up at his assailant, smirking down at him.

"Sasuke! Hold him down!" Kakashi called out and before Deidara could move, he found his hand held behind his back and he was forced to his feet, Sasuke's grip tight enough to cause his wrist to scream in pain.

"Alright! Alright! Ya got me!" Deidara yelled out, and Sasuke's grip loosened just enough to be called uncomfortable.

 _'Man, almost makes me glad I lost my arm to the Jinchuriki, hnn...'_

Deidara was _not_ happy. He should've left the stupid corpse and tried to lose them while they were busy with it. He shouldn't have had to wait that long to begin with! Where the hell was Sasori?! For a guy who hated to wait and hated to keep others waiting, he sure had made _him_ wait a long time!

"Where's your partner?" Kakashi demanded as he held a kunai to his throat. Deidara gulped.

"He's busy at the moment!"

"Where?"

Deidara tsked, and Kakashi pushed the kunai up tighter against his throat.

"He's fighting another Jinchuriki!"

Everyone froze, and Naruko stood up from Gaara and ran over to him, glaring hatefully.

"I won't let you take another! Where are they?!" Naruko yelled and Deidara glared back at the girl for getting in his face.

Sasuke looked suddenly uncomfortable, and Kakashi gave him a worried look.

"Sasuke? What's wrong?"

Sasuke said nothing as he shook his head.

"Where are they?!" Naruko shouted and Kakashi backed up as the girl grabbed Deidara's collar with both fists, their noses nearly touching.

"They're back at the cave, the same cave we took the Shukaku in! I was sent out here to distract you guys while my main man Sasori took down another Jinchuriki!"

Lady Chiyo gasped, standing up and walking closer, "Sasori's here?!"

She knew he was. Kankuro had claimed to have fought him personally, but Lady Chiyo hadn't believed. Or rather, she had chosen not to believe.

"Hell yeah, bitch! He's my partner! Pretty cool guy, too."

Sasuke tightened his hold for the slur against the old woman, and Deidara winced.

Kakashi kept his eye on Sasuke the entire time, "Sasuke, tell us what's wrong."

Sasuke eyed the back of Deidara's head warily.

"Which Jinchuriki is it?"

Naruko and Kakashi tensed, realizing where Sasuke's train of thought had led him.

"It's the Nine Tails!"

Naruko gasped as she took a step back letting Deidara go completely, and Kakashi closed his eye, his body rigid.

"Yeah, I know right! What luck on our part! We finish taking the One Tails, and then BAM! The Nine Tails is right outside the cave! Couldn't have asked for a better situation! Well, you guys could've not been here, but ehhh, it's fine! My man Sasori will take care of the Jinchuriki quite well on his own!"

The three members of Team 7 looked at each other in tense silence.

"Oh, by the way... You should duck, bastard!" Deidara smirked as he threw a look over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Sasuke! _Move!"_ Kakashi yelled before grabbing the boy and flinging him away.

A small, spider like creature was flying through the air from the forest behind them, and then it _exploded_.

* * *

 _Kane sighed as he dropped the tendril of water back to the lake._

 _How was he supposed to figure this out? Even Yuka-sensei said there was nothing she could do!_

 _Genjutsu would always be his weakness, according to her, and there was nothing he could do about it._

 _Kane glared into the water, his thoughts troubling him._

 _'The only way to be released from a powerful Genjutsu are someone else disturbing your Chakra, recognizing you're in a Genjutsu and releasing yourself, and pain. I don't want to rely on other people, recognizing I'm in a Genjutsu won't help at all if I can't get out, and the only other way is pain, and you can't hurt yourself if you're in a Genjutsu! Gahh! This is impossible!'_

 _Kane sighed as he allowed the soothing sensation of the water in the lake to calm his frayed nerves._

 _'Okay, so my only option is pain... I could hurt myself, but... That doesn't really help. I'd have to hurt myself before the Genjutsu took effect, and then keep hurting myself after the fact, too...'_

 _Kane glared up at the clouds as he pondered his dilemma._

 _'How do I hurt myself, consistently, and do it without permanently hurting myself or impairing myself?'_

 _Kane wasn't sure. Was there even a way? The only consistent way of hurting somebody he could even think of was boiling their blood, and that didn't really help him._

 _Kane launched himself up as he stared at his hands in shock._

 _Maybe that_ _ **did**_ _help him!_

* * *

Kane closed his eyes as Sasori smirked down at him.

"Are you ready, Jinchuriki? I have nearly _three hundred_ puppets! It's such a shame, I _really_ want to make you my puppet! Unfortunately, we need your demon first. Maybe I'll take your corpse for myself once the Akatsuki takes your biju!"

Kane continued to stand there, eyes closed, as he concentrated.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you! I'll just knock you unconscious!" Sasori yelled as the three hundred puppets prepared to assault.

As the army flew down at him, Kane's eyes snapped open.

And his skin turned red.

* * *

"Shit! What am I supposed to do?!"

Karin was at a loss. She knew Kane was still inside and probably still fighting the Akatsuki member, but she wasn't going to be any help out here!

Kane told her to stay put, but she felt so useless! Why had he brought her along if he was going to do everything himself?!

Imagine Naru-chan's reaction if she let him die!

 _'Naru-chan!'_ Karin thought with a gasp. She could get Naru-chan! Naru-chan could help!

But...

Karin bit her lip as she stared at the water slamming into the rocks.

 _'Kane would be REALLY mad, I think... I don't think he wants to see Naru-chan...'_

Karin began sensing for her cousins Chakra signiature, and could barely detect it some ways away.

 _'She's pretty far off... It would take me a while to get to her, and even longer to bring her back here... What if I leave, and Kane needs me? Ohhh, shit... I can't let him die! Especially not when Naru-chan is so close! I'd never forgive myself!'_

Karin decided she'd stay put for now, and hope for the best.

* * *

"Is everyone alright?!" Temari called out as the dust began to settle.

"He got away!" Naruko yelled, and everyone realized Deidara was nowhere to be seen.

Temari sighed before turning her attention back to her little brother's body, her features settling into a sad frown.

Lady Chiyo stared as Naruko walked over quietly and sat down beside Gaara.

"Why do you care so much for our Kazekage?" She asked the blonde, and Naruko glanced up at her.

"Because... He's my friend!"

"Because he's your friend? That answer is complete nonsense!"

Naruko scowled, "No, it's not! I care for Gaara. He's one of my precious people!"

"He's not even a Shinobi of Konoha! Why would a girl such as yourself care for our Kazekage?"

Naruko turned and smiled down sadly at Gaara, "Because. I just _do._ "

Lady Chiyo hummed in confusion as she stared at the girl.

"Gaara, he went through a lot... He's always been alone. Isolated. Shunned. Hated. He had nobody, and I know... I know I couldn't possibly understand that kind of pain. I didn't grow up lonely, like he did, but..." Naruko trailed off, lost in memory.

* * *

 _"How could someone like you possibly understand?! You had everything! You had a family, friends, everything I lacked! You could never understand the pain of being alone! The pain only a true Jinchuriki knows! You think you're like me, just because you have a demon?! You may be the host to the Nine Tails, but you are_ _ **no**_ _Jinchuriki!" Gaara yelled out, the two staring across the trees at each other, both tired and battle worn._

 _"You're right..." Naruko spoke softly._

 _"I can't possibly understand what that's like, Gaara. You've been through so much more than I have... I had my dad, my friends, and the love of the village..."_

 _Gaara glared harshly at the girl, and she returned his glare with a watery smile._

 _"So show me, Gaara! Take all that hatred inside of you, and throw all of it at me! Give me everything you've got! I'll bare that pain, that hatred and loneliness! I'll help shoulder your pain, and together, we'll get you through it!"_

 _Gaara's face took on a look of pure shock, "Why? Why would you go through that for someone you barely even know?!"_

 _"Because! You're my friend, Gaara!"_

 _"_ _ **Friend?!**_ _I'm trying to_ _ **kill**_ _you, Namikaze!" Gaara screamed back at her._

 _"You've always been alone! You've never had a friend before!" Naruko screamed back, and the two launched off their respective trees at each other._

 _"So I'd love to be your first one, Gaara!"_

* * *

"That's why! He may have always been alone before, but I won't let it happen again! From now on, I'll always be there for him! No matter what ttebayo!" Naruko yelled as she gave a little fist pump.

Lady Chiyo stared at the girl in shock before giving her a small smile.

 _'Maybe an alliance with the Leaf isn't such a bad thing after all...'_

* * *

As several puppets slammed weapons into the ground where Kane once stood, Sasori's eyes widened in shock.

 _'What?! Where did he go?!'_

He got his answer when Kane appeared behind the puppets, and started sprinting towards Sasori.

 _'What the heck is going on?! He's even faster than before!'_

Sasori commanded his army of puppets to attack, and watched in distaste as Kane continued to dodge and weave inbetween each and every swing of a weapon.

 _'Even with nearly three hundred puppets, the guy's too fast to hit?'_

As Kane got closer to Sasori, he commanded several dozen puppets to surround and shield him, and Kane jumped away as he realized there was no opening to be found.

The rest of the army continued to fly at Kane, swinging blade after blade at him.

"How long do you think you can keep this up, Jinchuriki?!" Sasori yelled with glee. The guy would tire himself out soon enough!

Kane was too fast for the puppets to hit, but it didn't matter. They were still just puppets, and no matter how hard Kane punched and kicked, they were sturdy and didn't bleed. He may have been fast, but he wasn't strong enough to destroy them.

 _'This guy really is my worst nightmare!'_

Kane quickly made his way over to the only remaining water in the cave, and willed it to come to his side. As several puppets got closer, he slammed the water into them and watched with satisfaction as they fell to the ground, unable to move any longer.

He jumped away as several more puppets swung at him, and as he willed the water to leave the puppets he previously hit and return to him once more, he grimaced as the same puppets started moving again the moment the water no longer impaired them.

He glanced over at Sasori.

 _'If I can just immobilize the master, the rest should fall too!'_

Kane charged, the water right behind him, and as he grew closer to his target another wall of puppets stood in his way. He launched the water at several of them, and then jumped away before he was struck from behind by another group of puppets.

Kane groaned, _'I'm never gonna hit the guy!'_

He paused as he huffed several bursts of breath.

 _'I only used the water bullet three times... I have enough Chakra to do it again, but I can't get close to the guy...'_

Kane took a deep breath.

It was time for all or nothing.

 _"Hidden Mist Jutsu!"_ Kane called out, and the entire cave was filled with a thick mist, impairing Sasori's vision.

And enhancing Kane's.

Kane began charging once again, and he could feel every movement by every puppet, and dodging became second nature to him.

This was his environment now.

 _'Shit, I can't see very well!'_ Sasori grimaced.

Then, Kane was in front of him.

Sasori's eyes widened as he saw the water flow over Kane's shoulder and fly right at him. He jumped away, narowly avoiding the liquid and commanded several puppets to attack.

Kane dashed at him, grabbed him, and threw him back towards the water.

And the water struck.

Sasori fell to the ground with a _**'thunk!'**_ and the rest of the puppets halted, before slowly falling from the sky. Kane watched with relief and satisfaction as the army fell apart.

The mist dissipated, being a fairly weak version of the jutsu due to Kane's lack of control, and the area cleared.

 _'It's over...'_

Kane's instincts took over. Before he knew what he was doing, he spun around and narrowly avoided a sword striking him, it barely grazing his left side as it slammed into the ground.

Sasori was right in front of him, grabbed his throat and slammed him into the ground, before pointing the blade right at his neck.

Kane stared wide eyed at the red head as he smirked down at him.

"How- how did you?!"

"It's over, Jinchuriki! You'd better be grateful I can't kill you, that's twice now you should've died!"

Kane said nothing, his skin returning back to its normal pale color.

 _'I can't keep heating up my blood, the pain's just too intense!'_

Sasori smirked at the change, realizing it meant his jutsu was finished.

Sasori glanced up towards where his old body lay, and watched as water slowly began trailing out of it and into the air.

"If that water makes a single move towards me, I'll cut you up before I knock you out."

Kane glared and growled at the redhead.

"Tell me about the other Jinchuriki. Anything you know." Sasori smirked down at him.

"Why would I do that?"

"Heh, you've impressed me kid, so tell me what you know and I'll tell you why you lost this fight. Fair?"

Kane nodded and the water behind him dropped back onto the puppet.

"The Isobu, the Three Tails, is in Water Country. According to rumors, it has no host and is completely wild right now. I don't know where it is, or if this is true, but I've heard whispers about it."

Sasori hummed.

"Tell me how you changed bodies!" Kane demanded.

"Heh..." Sasori pointed towards his red, cylindrical container and Kane nodded.

That was all he needed to know.

Sasori gasped as a huge torrent of water slammed into his back, and he fell to the ground. Kane watched as the red container quickly jumped out of the body, and began flying towards another puppet.

" _Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"_ Kane yelled as he used the last of his Chakra reserves to launch a small fireball at the container, and he watched in glee as it burned.

Kane smirked as he glanced over towards the several holes in the back of the cave, where water was steadily flowing through.

As the red container quickly burned away, Kane knew.

He'd won.

* * *

End of Chapter 49.


	52. Chapter 50

The three Konoha Shinobi and one Sand Kunoichi watched in silence as Lady Chiyo continued pouring her Chakra into Gaara.

"Lady Chiyo are you sure about this?" Temari asked with concern.

"Hush child. I'm just some old woman. This is the Kazekage, after all."

Lady Chiyo was using a reanimation jutsu. After this, Gaara would awaken, but Lady Chiyo would close her eyes forever.

"My only regret is that I didn't get to see my grandson, one final time." Lady Chiyo spoke wistfully, "I hope, wherever he is, he's changed for the better."

* * *

Karin watched as the water continued banging into the rocks, and finally, they gave way. As the rocks scattered and fell into the river, Kane slowly walked out.

He looked worse for wear, and had a huge cut on the side of his neck, but he was alive. The Akatsuki member was nowhere in sight.

"Kane!" Karin shouted as she ran up to him and began inspecting his neck, "How are you still standing?! This wound looks severe!"

Kane grunted, "I'll be fine. I think I just need some rest."

"What?! Kane you need to see a medic! How is this not bleeding?!"

"My Kekkei Genkai."

Karin looked at him like he was crazy.

"Okay, what the _hell_ is your Kekkei Genkai?! You can manipulate water, you don't bleed and apparently can manipulate blood too, and now you're telling me you'll be fine after a night's rest?!"

"Pretty much." Kane couldn't help but grin at the look on her face.

"What's your Kekkei Genkai?! This is ridiculous!"

"If I told you that, then maybe you're not as smart as I took you for." Kane smirked at her and the red head looked outraged and the insinuation.

" _Fine!_ Don't tell me! Whatever! Just... What do we do now?"

"I need to rest. My Chakra reserves are very low right now..." Kane spoke before plopping down onto his backside, a relieved sigh escaping his lips.

Karin joined him on the water, looking at the wound in his neck closely.

"So, I take it you won?"

Kane nodded.

"Well, that's good I guess. Looks like you took quite the beating, though."

"Yeah, I guess I did." Kane agreed.

Karin rolled her eyes, "Next time, try to include me at least, okay?"

Kane turned and gave the girl a small, soft smile, "Okay."

Karin smiled in return.

* * *

As Gaara awoke, he found two girls all over him checking him for wounds and injuries, and bombarding him with questions.

"Girls, relax, give the Kazekage some space." Kakashi spoke with an eye smile as Naruko and Temari backed up slightly.

Gaara looked over at the prone form of Lady Chiyo, held by Kakashi, and stared solemnly.

' _She gave her life for me...'_

Kakashi suddenly looked serious.

"We're not out of hot water just yet."

Everyone turned their attention to the white haired main, "There's still another Jinchuriki being attacked right now."

Sasuke and Naruko narrowed their eyes.

"Naruko! Sasuke!" The two snapped to attention at their sensei's call.

He eye smiled at them, "Temari and I can handle the rest from here. You two go save another Jinchuriki."

The two eyed each other before giving a quick nod. Naruko turned back to Gaara, "Sorry Gaara, but there's something we've got to do! We'll be back, I promise!"

And with that, they turned and took to the trees.

"I'm really glad you're okay, Gaara." Temari spoke with a soft smile. Gaara returned it with one of his own, and slowly got to his feet with her aid.

"We need to get back. The village is probably in chaos right now, and Lady Chiyo deserves a proper burial." Gaara spoke monotonously.

Kakashi stood, the old woman in his arms, and he nodded, "Lead the way, Kazekage-sama."

* * *

"Sasuke, do you know where we're going?" Naruko asked her companion as they continued onwards.

He nodded in response, "That other Akatsuki member was sent as a distraction, and if you recall, he ran into us before changing direction. We just have to retrace our steps, and then head straight towards the direction we first saw him, and I'm sure we'll find it."

Naruko nodded slowly, "Do you think it's really him?"

Sasuke said nothing as he glared straight ahead.

"Do you think... Do you think they got him?" Naruko asked in a strained voice.

Again, Sasuke said nothing.

* * *

The two sat side by side, Kane detailing his fight with Sasori of the Red Sand to the girl.

"Man, maybe it's a good thing I wasn't there..." Karin mumbled to herself, and Kane smirked in response.

"Don't say that. I want you there for every future fight. I'm going to need your help, Karin."

Karin raised an eyebrow at him, "You sure didn't seem keen on accepting my help earlier."

Kane nodded, "You're right. I was arrogant. I thought I could handle him by myself, but..."

"But?" She prodded.

"I should've died in there. If Sasori had been trying to kill me, I would be dead right now." He murmured quietly.

Karin nodded slowly at him.

"I can't afford to be so overconfident anymore. It almost got me killed, and next time I might not get a second chance... From now on, I'm going to start taking this more seriously."

Karin's eyes widened as she looked behind her. Kane raised an eyebrow at her odd behaviour.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Err... Nothing." She denied as she turned back to face him.

Kane narrowed his eyes at the girl, "They're coming, aren't they?"

Karin flinched slightly, and Kane sighed at her expected reaction. He slowly got to his feet and stretched, mindful of the still open wound on his neck. Karin stood as well, and eyed him cautiously.

"We're not staying." Kane said flatly at the hopeful look in the girl's eyes.

"Why not?!"

"I don't feel like it."

"It might do you some good to see them again!"

"It's not happening, Karin."

She scowled at him, "How are you going to get away then, wise guy? You're hurt, and low on Chakra!"

Kane smirked at her as he looked down at the water below them.

"Thankfully, I don't need much Chakra to use my Kekkei Genkai."

"What? What do you-" Karin was cut off as the water below her and Kane began rising, and then separated completely from the river. It slowly raised higher and higher, before taking off over the cave into the opposite direction of Naruko and Sasuke.

"Seriously, what the hell is your bloodline?!" Karin screeched.

"Pretty neat trick, huh? This is actually how I escaped Konoha." Kane spoke with pride.

Karin gave a look of longing behind her, in the direction she felt Naruko and Sasuke's Chakra signiatures, and then sighed with disappointment.

* * *

Sasuke felt the crunch of a piece of wood breaking beneath his shoe, and he glared harshly as he continued surveying the area. Hundreds of puppets, just lying around the cave he and Naruko entered in earlier.

No sign of Kane.

He glanced over at Naruko in concern. She'd been unusually quiet since walking inside the cave.

It was obvious that a huge battle took place here, and by the looks of things it happened very recently, too.

Sasuke felt anxiety curl within his belly. There was no sign of Kane, and no sign of any Akatsuki member.

Had they captured him?

Had he been too late?

"Sasuke." Naruko's voice caught his attention, and the boy turned to stare at his teammates back.

She turned to face him then, and gave him a bright smile, "He's fine. Don't be such a worry wart!"

Sasuke's eye twitched, "Hn."

She beamed then, "Don't deny it! You're worried about Kane! Well I'm not!" She boasted as if it was something to be proud of, pointing towards her chest with her thumb.

"Kane definitely won! There's no doubt about it, ttebayo!"

"How would you know, Idiot?" Sasuke asked as he rolled his eyes.

"I just do! Call it a woman's intuition!"

"That's not how it works."

"Yes it is!" She whined.

Sasuke shook his head as a small smile took over his features. He'd never admit it, but her words put him at ease, if only slightly.

He had a hard time imagining _Kane Sanguis_ taking down an _Akatsuki_ in one on one combat. It was just... Unbelievable to him.

Naruko sat down on one of the puppets, and Sasuke walked over and joined her. The two continued looking around from their prone positions, until Naruko turned to smile at him.

"Remember that time you broke Kane's nose, and we were talking about sending him to the hospital?"

Sasuke grunted, "Yeah, Kami he was so hopeless... I hadn't even been trying to hurt him. He just took it, right to the face."

Naruko laughed, "He looked so shocked, too! He really hadn't seen it coming, somehow."

"It's because he was hopeless."

Naruko sobered up slightly, "He refused to go to the hospital after that, too."

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah, I remember."

"It was so strange at the time, but he refused to go... The next day, he waltzed right on up to the bridge, his nose perfectly fine. I remember asking him how his nose healed, and he didn't really know."

Sasuke just watched his teammate as she grew lost in her memories.

"It bothered me at the time, ya know? Why wouldn't he go get checked out? It didn't make any sense to me back then. Now... Now I get it." She mumbled as she glared at the ground.

"Because he's a Jinchuriki."

Naruko grit her teeth, "But he's not!"

"I know that, idiot, but the rest of the village doesn't."

"It's just not fair. It should've been me."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Does it matter? What's done is done."

Naruko gave him a sad smile, "Yeah... What's done is done."

The two sat in silence for several long, drawn out moments.

"I really miss him, bastard. I didn't realize how badly I'd miss him if he were gone, until he'd left..."

Sasuke nodded, "I know."

"Everything just seemed... Duller, once he left, ya know? Like the entire village lost a lot of its energy, a lot of it's spark... It's color... Does that make sense?"

"It does."

Naruko continued to frown at the ground, "It's been over three years, Sasuke. Three years, and he was right here, in this very cave... And we missed our chance."

Sasuke kept silent.

"What if we don't get another chance? What if..." She took a deep breath, "Nevermind. There's no sense thinking that way. We'll just... do what we've always done. We'll wait, and hope..."

The two fell back into silence, before Sasuke finally spoke up, "I miss him too."

Naruko looked at him in shock, and then burst out laughing.

He gave the blonde an annoyed look as she tried to calm down, "You done yet?"

"Sorry! Sorry! It's just... It's not like you to say something like that, even if it's true."

"Hn."

She smiled widely at him.

He closed his eyes, "I'm allowed to miss him. He's part of Team 7. He's my family."

"Yeah. He's family." She smiled fondly.

"I know it sucks, idiot, but there's nothing we can do. Next time, we'll catch him for sure."

Naruko hummed at this, the smile still on her face as she continued, "Did you know I had a crush on him?"

Sasuke snorted, "Yeah, it was pretty obvious."

"Was it?" She asked as she smiled at him fondly.

Sasuke nodded, and she laughed quietly, "Maybe I should've just confessed then. I'm pretty sure he felt the same way, too. At least, I thought so at the time..." She trailed off as the smile fell away.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her, "Quit it, idiot."

"Quit what?"

"Blaming yourself. The Dead Last was smitten with you, he'd never hate you. Even if he did find out the truth, it wouldn't change anything, he'd forgive you for anything."

She smiled at him softly, "Thanks, Sasuke."

He grunted, and a twinkle appeared in her eyes, "There's the Bastard I know!"

He glared at her and she laughed as she hopped to her feet, "You've been so out of character today, bastard! Quit getting all emotional, geez!"

A tic mark appeared on his forehead as his eye began twitching, " _I'm_ the one getting emotional?"

"Yup!" She said cheerily as Sasuke stood as well.

"Hn."

She laughed once more before heading for the entrance of the cave, "Come on, bastard, let's get out of here!"

* * *

"So what's the plan now?" Karin asked, and Kane merely shrugged in response.

"What kind of answer is that?! Don't you have some sort of plan?!"

"Nope." Kane said drily.

A tic mark appeared on Karin's forehead, _"Kane!"_

He shrugged, "Look, there's not much for us to do until we get word on Akatsuki."

She sighed, "Do you at least have a destination in mind? Where are we even going?"

"No clue."

" _ **Kane!"**_

* * *

The two sat outside a fire pit, sitting next to each other and speaking quietly.

"Shouldn't one of us keep watch, at least?" Karin asked.

"Yeah. I'll take the first shift and wake you later."

She nodded as she yawned.

"Hey, Kane?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you hunting the Akatsuki?"

He stared at her, a calculating look in his eyes.

She backtracked slightly, attempting to explain herself better, "I mean, you could be doing anything. You said your only goal was to survive, so wouldn't it be smarter to hide? Why go after the very people that are looking for you?"

Kane shook his head, "No. I want... I want to survive."

She raised an eyebrow at his pathetic answer.

"I want to live in a world where I don't have to look over my shoulder every night. I want to live in a world where I'm not hunted."

"Okay... So how does going after them help you then?"

"I'm tired of always being weak. I'm tired of having other people determine my life and my choices. I'm tired of being hunted. Instead, I'm going to hunt them down myself. I'm going to kill anyone who would threaten me and my life, and then maybe someday I can live without the constant threat to my existence."

Karin stared at him in shock, not expecting an answer like that. She mulled it over for several minutes in silence.

"What about Konoha?"

Kane raised an eyebrow, irritation in his eyes, "What about it?"

"They're hunting you, right?"

He shook his head, "They're trying to catch me, but they aren't a threat to my life. I'm capture on sight, not kill on sight. They want the Kyuubi back."

She bit her lip before asking, "And if they were to change you to kill on sight?"

Kane turned his head away from her, shielding his face from her view, "You're asking a lot of questions. You should go to sleep."

Karin nodded. Clearly, he didn't want to talk about this anymore. She got up and laid down on the makeshift beds they'd made.

"Goodnight, Kane."

Kane stared into the embers, her question repeating itself over and over again in his mind.

* * *

End of Chapter 50


	53. Chapter 51

_"Yuka-sensei, why don't you ever teach me anything about the Chi Sosa?"_

 _The woman glared at him, and he backtracked immediately, "I mean, you've taught me plenty, but nothing about how to actually use it... Isn't there some way to use it for battle?"_

 _The woman huffed at him, "And how, exactly, do you propose we practice?"_

 _Kane blinked._

 _"A Sanguis_ _ **never**_ _uses their own blood for battle, brat. It's a surefire way to get yourself killed. As I've told you many times before, your blood is precious. Treat it as such."_

 _"What about if I just use a little? Like, what if I get hurt in battle and I start bleeding. Can't I just use that blood?"_

 _"To do what?" She questioned._

 _"Err... I don't know, make like a weapon or something? There's got to be plenty I can do with it... Right?"_

 _She scowled, "Blood is not water. You can't simply 'Make a weapon', it requires precise control and a large amount of blood. More than is worthwhile, in most cases."_

 _Kane frowned, "Then how exactly am I supposed to use it?"_

 _"You don't use your own. You use someone else's."_

 _Kane's eyes narrowed, "So if I don't have someone else to draw blood from, I'm screwed?"_

 _She hummed, "There's a reason all Sanguis children master Water Ninjutsu at an early age. They're taught to find other ways to fight. Ways that don't involve using their own blood. The Chi Sosa requires very specific conditions to be utilized fully."_

 _Kane frowned._

 _"Well, unless..." Yuka-sensei trailed off._

 _"Unless what?"_

 _"Unless you're Naibu. That man seems to have an endless supply of blood in his body. I don't know how he does it, and he's never told anyone, not even when the adults prodded him when he was young."_

 _"So you're saying there's a way!" Kane spoke up hopefully._

 _"Maybe. But I don't know it. As far as you're concerned, the only time you can use the Chi Sosa is when you use someone else's blood. Unless, of course, you've lost so much blood you're nearly on death row... Then you can go for it, but by then it's probably too late."_

 _Kane felt disheartened at that._

* * *

 _"You haven't shown me much of your blood either! I remember Naibu throwing that shit around like it was nothing, so why haven't you?"_

Sasori's question continued to bother Kane. If he ever found himself in a position where he lacked a water source, he'd be relying strictly on boiling his blood and his restricted Water Ninjutsu. Well, that and boiling the enemies blood, but...

If there had been no source of water near that cave, Kane wouldn't have stood a chance against Sasori.

He gently rubbed his neck, where a huge scar had taken over. Yuka-sensei had been right, he could restrict exactly what got healed by willpower alone. The wound healed almost completely overnight, but Kane willed it not to heal completely and instead allow it to scar, and now he had a permanent scar on the left side of his neck.

Just like Naibu.

 _'Heh, it's funny... Naibu and I got scarred in the same spot, by the same person, both in a one on one battle, and we both decided to keep our scars...'_

Kane would keep it. It would be a testament to never become overconfident again. Never underestimate his enemy, and never overestimate himself.

He wondered if his reasonings matched Naibu's, too.

 _'Sasori of the Red Sand... I know, until the end of my days, I will never forget your name.'_

* * *

"Sasori's dead." Zetsu spoke up and several Akatsuki members looked surprised.

"Who killed him?" Pain spoke.

"The Nine Tails Jinchuriki did, apparently. Unfortunately, I didn't see the battle, so I'm not sure how... I didn't even know Sasori was fighting him until it was already over. Deidara told me, and I investigated the area." Zetsu continued.

"Deidara, what happened?"

"Hnn. My man Sasori sent me to distract some Leaf Shinobi while he fought the Jinchuriki and some red haired girl. I almost got caught, but I got away. I never heard from Sasori again."

Pain closed his eyes in thought.

"Zetsu, keep an eye on the Nine Tails whenever possible. I want to know how exactly he killed Sasori."

"Understood."

"Itachi, Kisame, the Nine Tails is your target. Find him, and capture him. Failure will not be tolerated."

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it." Kisame spoke with a shark-like grin.

Itachi simply stared, his Sharingan eyes spinning lazily.

"Deidara..." Pain trailed off.

"Hnn?"

"You need a new partner."

And as Deidara became acquainted with the newest member, Tobi, he wondered if maybe he'd never escaped. Maybe he'd died, and this was Hell.

* * *

"What are you doing, Kane?" Karin asked curiously as he meditated next to a lake, his eyes closed. The two of them had made their way to Grass Country, and would soon make their way to Waterfall Country. They didn't have an actual destination in mind; Kane wanted to travel village to village, sneak in and attempt to collect any information they could find on the Akatsuki. Karin thought the plan was stupid... Sneaking into Ninja Villages?!

"I'm getting a feel for the water behind me."

She raised an eyebrow at him, but his eyes were closed so he didn't react.

"Getting a feel?"

He nodded.

Karin rolled her eyes, "You've been sitting there for nearly twenty minutes, Kane."

"I know. It's amazing how fast this is going, isn't it?"

"Was that sarcasm?"

Kane's eyes snapped open, and Karin stumbled backwards and fell onto her rear as she watched in shock as the _entire_ lake behind him began _rising._

Kane smirked, "Not at all."

* * *

The blonde haired Kunoichi glared at the dark haired boy, and Sasuke sighed at the hostility rolling off of her in waves.

"I don't care who you are, you're not a member of this team!" Naruko spat, and the boy gave her a fake smile in return.

"But, Naruko-san, I have been assigned as a member of Team 7."

"You'll never replace Kane!"

Sai nodded slowly, "I'm glad to hear it. I wouldn't want to be the replacement for a _traitor._ "

Naruko looked outraged, but before she could react Sasuke had Sai up in the air, both hands on his collar in a vice-like grip.

"Watch it, replacement. You'd be smart to keep your mouth shut about him while we're around."

Sai gave Sasuke that same fake smile, "As you wish."

Sasuke dropped him back onto his feet and walked away.

Naruko continued scowling.

Kakashi sighed, "Well, that went about as well as I anticipated."

* * *

"I still think this is a terrible idea, Danzo." Minato Namikaze spoke to his advisor in his office.

"Team 7 must have a full squad. You've allowed them to run around a member short for far too long, Hokage-sama. People will begin to suspect favoritism."

"So? Let them think what they like. We're taking a huge risk here by adding your root member to the team... What if he discovers the truth?"

"Then he will report back to me. As any of my ninja would do."

Minato glared, not fully convinced.

"This is the best situation, Minato, and surely you realize this. Sai will obey me, and even if the secret is revealed, nobody of importance will find out. Aside from this, this will give us more control over that team, allow us to protect your daughter easier, and it may even prove useful in the future if they ever come across the Sanguis boy."

Minato sighed, nodding along with his reasoning. It made sense, and the decision had already been made. There was no use arguing over this any further.

That didn't mean he had to like it.

* * *

Karin eyed Kane warily, "There's somebody approaching from straight ahead."

"Alone?"

"Alone." She confirmed with a nod.

The two continued their slow pace, until eventually the source of the Chakra signiature appeared before them.

Kane's eyes narrowed.

"Good to see I've finally found you! He said you would be in the area, but I had my doubts." The man gave a disarming smile at Kane.

"What do you want? What was your name again... Kabuto?"

The white-gray haired ninja continued giving that same smile that put Kane on edge, "Glad to see you remembered me! It's been a while, Kane-kun."

"Kane? Who is this?" Karin asked in confusion.

"Ahh, Karin Uzumaki, if I'm not mistaken." Kabuto said as his attention turned to the red haired girl.

She tensed. How did he know her name?!

"An excellent choice for a companion, Kane-kun!"

"What do you want, Kabuto?"

Kabuto smirked, "What do I want? I want to help you. Under Orochimaru-sama's orders, of course."

Kane scoffed, "Help me? Why would you want to help me?"

Kane remembered the first time he met Kabuto. The man potentially saved his life, and admitted to working for the snake Sannin. His words back then, the offer from Orochimaru, the comparison between him and the snake, and even the mentions of an alliance stuck with Kane. He hadn't forgotten, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Orochimaru-sama used to be a member of the Akatsuki."

Karin and Kane both tensed, and the girl looked at Kane with concern.

"Is that so?" Kane said flatly.

Kabuto nodded, "He hasn't been a member in quite some time. Don't worry, he's not after you... Like I said, Orochimaru-sama sees you as a potential ally. His intuition seemed to be correct, as usual. You killed Sasori of the Red Sand." Kabuto said with a smirk.

Kane just stared at him.

"My master holds no love for the Akatsuki. He'd see it fall apart, just like you. He's not your enemy, Kane-kun."

"What do you want?" Kane repeated for what felt like the millionth time.

"Orochimaru-sama sent me to find you. He figured I could be quite useful to you. I may not know as much about the Akatsuki as Orochimaru-sama, but I know quite a bit." Kabuto smirked at him.

"So, what? You just came to give us information, no strings attached?" Kane asked suspiciously.

"Think of it as a gesture of good will from Orochimaru-sama. I'll travel with you, if you'll have me, for a time. All he asks is that, eventually, you come see him. He has much he wishes to discuss with you, Kane-kun." Kabuto smiled.

Karin leaned over to whisper in his ear, "I don't like this guy, Kane. He's... Slimey. I say we ditch him."

Kane hummed at this, "You'll do anything I say without question? You'll hand over everything you know about the Akatsuki? You'll fight them with us?"

Karin looked aghast as he completely ignored her.

Kabuto smiled, "I'm not sure what use I'll be in a fight against members of the Akatsuki. I'm more of a medic ninja, truthfully. I also have other things I have to do for Orochimaru-sama, so I can't promise to obey your every command... Especially if it goes against what I've been ordered. But yes, I'll help you to the best of my abilities, Kane-kun."

Kane stared at him for several moments, ignoring Karin as she shook her head and flailed her arms in disapproval of the entire thing.

"Welcome aboard then, Kabuto."

* * *

Sometimes, Karin didn't know what to make of Kane.

Every now and then, the small boy she remembered seemed to shine through. He'd smile and laugh and joke around with her, as if he didn't have a care in the world. She liked those moments. It made her realize just why Naru-chan cared for the boy so much. He was genuine in his emotions, when he let you see them.

Other times, he was the complete opposite.

He'd snark and ignore her and sometimes downright insult her. He had no subtlety about him; he didn't seem to care how people would react to his words. He always left her in the dark about what he was doing, expecting her to simply fall in line like some sort of soldier.

It pissed her off.

She was an _Uzumaki!_ She didn't appreciate being ordered around like that! She was quick to tell him just that, too.

He didn't seem to care what she said to him, though. In the end, she did what he wanted simply because _she_ certainly didn't want to be the one calling the shots. She had absolutely no idea what they should do, or where they should go. She was content to follow. She never had been much of a leader anyway.

Still, he could at least _talk to her_.

There were times she'd watch him, and he looked so lost. He'd never admit it, but Karin knew... Kane had no clue where he was going in life. No goal. He claimed he wanted to survive, but what kind of ambition was that?

She'd asked him, once, what he would do after he defeated the Akatsuki.

He hadn't answered her.

Kane didn't have a real goal, despite his claims otherwise. Sure, he fought for his survival, but he had no dreams. No desires. No home, no family, and no friends if you didn't count her.

He was just wandering.

It was sad, really. To see the same boy she'd sat next to at the Chunin Exams seem so confused. He may have given off an aura of confidence, as if he knew exactly where he was going and what he wanted, but it was all a farce.

He was lost.

 _'Naru-chan needs to knock some sense into him... I think, if he just talked to her, she could convince him to go back.'_

She wasn't as confident in that thought as she liked to believe. She knew Kane was a Jinchuriki, but she really didn't have a clue why he'd abandon Konoha. He never told her, and she never asked. Maybe she'd do that next chance she got.

What was his life like back at the village? Jinchuriki tended to be loners, and Kane certainly fit that bill. They also tended to be a bit... Unhinged. Gaara was a perfect example of that.

Karin felt anxiety bubble within her at the mere thought of the psychopath.

But Kane wasn't crazy. At least, she didn't think he was. He seemed normal, especially when he was younger. He really didn't seem all that different now, either. Maybe more aggressive, more confident, more isolated... Okay, he was very different. But he wasn't crazy!

Right?

She was pretty sure he wasn't.

She was getting off track... What was his life like in Konoha that led him to leave? Surely it couldn't have been _that_ bad. He had Naru-chan, after all!

 _'Not to mention that hunk Sasuke...'_ She thought with a bit of drool.

Karin scowled as the boy next to her bumped shoulders with her. He gave her an apologetic smile, "My apologies."

 _'This guy is so fake... Everything about him seems like an act. I don't like him.'_

She stared at Kane's back, the two of them following close behind. She couldn't believe he'd agreed to this... Even if the two of them had absolutely no idea where they were going or anything about the Akatsuki at all, this guy was just... _Ugh!_

 _'Naru-chan needs to find Kane soon... If he's willing to let people like Kabuto join us, who knows what other kinds of garbage we'll pick up along the way...'_

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

* * *

End of Chapter 51


	54. Chapter 52

He slammed his hands into the side of the building, frustrated tears rolling down his face in waves.

"I could've saved him. I could've done _something!"_

"It's not your fault, Shikamaru..." Ino said consolingly as she rubbed his back, Chouji standing behind her and nodding sadly.

 _"Yes it is!_ I was there! I could've..."

"Shikamaru, stop that! It's not your fault! Asuma-sensei..." Ino choked up slightly, "He wouldn't want you to do this to yourself. It's not healthy!"

Chouji burst into tears and sobs, and Ino looked back at him horrified.

Shikamaru's scowl deepened as his best friends cries reached his ears.

 _'I could've saved him!'_

* * *

Really, there hadn't been any need for such theatrics. But Kabuto insisted, saying it would be easier for him to remember if he read the information rather than have it spoken aloud to him.

Kane stared at the ninja info cards on the members of the Akatsuki that Kabuto had information on. Some of the ninja on here looked troubling.

Itachi Uchiha was his biggest concern. The guy was serious bad news, and Kane realized just how lucky he'd gotten off back when he was twelve.

At the same time, Itachi was a huge question mark for Kane. Why had he come to the village to warn him about the Akatsuki? What was his end game in all of this?

 _'I'm going to find Itachi, and bring him home.'_

It felt like a lifetime ago when Sasuke spoke those words to him. Those were simpler times. Life was... Less complicated.

Kane held no regrets about leaving.

 _'What will I do when I find Itachi? Will I kill him, just like I killed Sasori?'_

He wasn't sure. How would Sasuke react to the knews that he'd murdered his brother? Would he be angry? Would he hate him?

Did it matter?

His partner, Kisame Hoshigaki, put a smile to Kane's lips. A Water Ninjutsu machine, with the Chakra storages comparable to that of a Jinchuriki. The guy seemed like by far the easiest target for Kane. Fighting this guy would feel like he was in Water Country all over again. His only concern was that apparently the guy also used a legendary sword, but so had that other ninja he fought and it hadn't mattered. What was his name again? Zabuza?

Deidara, the blonde that Kane saw partnered with Sasori. Kabuto didn't have any information at all on the guy. Apparently, he was new, because he hadn't been in the organization when Orochimaru left. That was fine, he attacked the Kazekage, word would spread about him in no time at all.

The leader of Akatsuki and his partner. Orochimaru may or may not have divulged information on them to Kabuto, but the guy kept quiet. Apparently, he said Orochimaru wished to speak about the leader to him when they met face to face.

Kane snorted at the thought. He had no desire to meet the snake Sannin. He had half a mind to tell Kabuto to take a hike, too. The only reason he'd allowed him to come along was because he promised information, which he'd now presented before him.

But they weren't stupid. Kane wanted to know about the leader more than anyone else, and they hadn't told him. They kept it hidden from him, specifically to prevent him from backing out of the deal, if he had to guess. It was annoying, but smart.

Besides, Kane would admit the Sannin was clever. Maybe he could help him in other ways, too...

There was apparently a single solo Akatsuki member, named Zetsu. He looked like a plant, and was mostly just there for reconnaissance. There wasn't any real information on him.

Then, there were the last two. Aside from Itachi and the unknown leader, these two concerned Kane the most. Orochimaru hadn't given _any_ information on them, other than what they looked like. Apparently, he knew plenty about them, too. Kabuto told him that Orochimaru had been present at Hidan's recruitment, in fact.

The only thing he'd deemed to tell Kane was 'They're Immortal'.

 _What the hell did that mean?!_

These two were his biggest concern. He knew next to nothing about them, and Kane had seen first hand from Naibu, Jiraiya, Sasori, and his many battles in Water Country how important information was. Going into a battle without knowing exactly what you were dealing with could mean suicide.

He glared at the ninja info cards on the two members. Nothing aside from their names and the status 'Immortal'. Nothing useful whatsoever.

 _'Whatever. At least I know their names and what they look like. It's better than nothing.'_

"Kane-kun."

Kane turned to face Kabuto, Karin standing behind him and looking nervous.

"There's word of two Akatsuki members. Apparently, they murdered a Jounin from the Hidden Leaf Village.

Kane's eyes narrowed, "Which members?"

Kabuto smirked.

* * *

Minato understood. He'd lost many friends and loved ones in the last Great Shinobi War, so he could empathize with the boy in front of him.

"It's not wise. The three of you should stay within the village, and let somebody else take care of this. You're attached emotionally, and that's going to interfere with your judgement on the mission." Minato spoke in all seriousness.

Shikamaru growled, "If you don't let me do this, let _us_ do this, then we're never going to be able to move past this. We _have_ to go."

Minato closed his eyes and sighed.

He understood. Truly, he did.

"Alright. Team Ten, I am officially assigning the mission to you."

The three members faces lit up, and Minato just hoped he was making the right choice.

"Kakashi Hatake will accompany you as team leader."

Shikamaru nodded, and the three began making their way out.

"Shikamaru." Minato's voice spoke of power, and the Nara boy tensed as he turned back to face the Hokage, his two teammates shivering as they did the same.

"I understand your desire to get revenge. Truly, I do. However, no matter what happens, just remember these words... Revenge is a slow and insidious killer. It's twisted, corrupt, and it will consume you if you let it. Don't fall prey to that hatred, Shikamaru. That goes for you two as well." Minato said as he quickly glared at Ino and Chouji.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Ino and Chouji yelled in unison as they saluted.

Minato turned his eyes back to Shikamaru, and the boy nodded slowly.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

* * *

"I think, perhaps, it'll be better if I simply show you when we fight the Akatsuki." Kabuto smiled at Kane.

"In what world is it better for you to show me during battle, rather than tell me what your skills are?" Kane scowled at the glasses wearing medic ninja. He was playing games, and Kane was quickly growing irritated.

He laughed, and Kane's eyes narrowed further.

"You take life too seriously, Kane-kun."

"That's because I enjoy _living,_ Kabuto."

Kabuto smirked. When had the guy gotten so sassy, Kane wondered. He seemed so polite, submissive even, at first. Now, he was witty and snappy, quick to say something to easily ignite Kane's temper. Or Karin's temper. Or both.

It was like he got some sort of sick enjoyment out of it.

"Fine. Whatever. So long as you aren't a burden, you can do whatever you like."

Kabuto nodded almost sagely, "Wise words, Kane-kun."

Kane scowled again.

Karin was unusually quiet as the three made their way through Fire Country, and Kane took notice.

"Karin." The redhead snapped to attention, "Something wrong?" Kane continued.

"No. Just... Thinking about how we're going to be fighting two Akatsuki members..."

The thought terrified her.

Kane nodded, "You'll do fine. I wouldn't have chosen you for a partner if I didn't have faith in your skills as a Kunoichi."

Karin beamed at that, and Kane knew he'd chosen the right words.

"Hey, Kane?" Karin asked.

"Yeah?"

"Is this your first time back in Fire Country since you left the Leaf?"

Kane paused, before nodding slowly, "Yeah. I guess it is. I hadn't really thought about it."

"Do you miss it?"

"Not one bit."

Karin frowned at that.

* * *

"You can't just send our sensei off with another team without telling us!" Naruko scowled at her dad, her arms crossed and Sasuke and Sai standing behind her.

"Naru, it was a last second decision." Minato attempted to placate the girl.

"Send us out too!"

Minato narrowed his eyes, "Naru, I don't think that's the best idea."

She scowled at him, knowing exactly where his train of thought had taken him.

 _'Because I'm a Jinchuriki...'_

She glanced behind her at Sai for a moment, and wisely kept quiet about that sensitive subject.

"You need to send them reinforecements! This is Akatsuki we're talking about!"

Minato frowned, knowing the girl was right.

"Send us after them! We can back Team Ten up and take down those Akatsuki!" Naruko demanded with a fire in her eyes.

Minato glanced behind his daughter towards the Uchiha, and the boy gave him a stern nod, clearly agreeing with the girl.

He glanced at Sai, who was of course no help at all, simply giving the Hokage that same fake smile.

Minato sighed loudly.

"You're going to need a team leader."

* * *

"Kakuzuuuu! I'm bored!" Hidan moaned as the two were walking steadily through Fire Country.

"Be quiet. We have to make up for lost income since _you_ let them escape with the Sarutobi's body." Kakuzu drawled in a bored tone of voice.

Hidan scowled, "Hey you bastard! You let them get away too, don't pin all the blame on me!"

Kakuzu ignored him as the two continued their pace.

Hidan moaned once again, "Man, but I hope something interesting happens. I need to give more sacrifices to Jashin-sama! It's been too long!"

"It's been a day."

"A day too long!"

"You'll get plenty of chances. There are still several Jinchuriki left to catch." Kakuzu placated his fellow immortal.

"Ehhh, I don't care about them... It sucks that we can't even kill them. I don't need some stupid Jinchuriki, I just need blood! Blood and destruction for Jashin-sama!" The man ranted as he flexed a fist at the sky.

"Find us a good bounty, and I'll let you perform your stupid ritual on them."

"Hey! It's not stupid! It shows respect to Jashin-sama! You'd do well to remember that!"

"I couldn't care less about your stupid deity."

Hidan looked aghast at that, "Atheist! Blasphemer! Heretic!" Hidan continued spitting out what he believed to be vile names at Kakuzu, and the immortal merely sighed in response.

 _'If only I could kill him...'_

* * *

"You didn't even tell Naruko and Sasuke you were leaving with us?!" Ino asked in shock as Team Ten and Kakashi continued tree hopping through Fire Country.

"I didn't exactly have the time. I figured you three would want to hit the road as soon as possible." Kakashi said, and Shikamaru nodded in response.

"Thanks for coming with us, Kakashi-sensei." Shikamaru spoke gratefully, and the man eye-smiled in response.

"No need to thank me. I'm happy to be here, especially if it means we can avenge Asuma-san."

Chouji looked disheartened at the reminder of his lost sensei, and Shikamaru punched him on the shoulder, "Cheer up Chouji, we're going to make things right! We're going to avenge Asuma-sensei!"

Chouji brightened, "Thanks, Shikamaru!"

The Nara nodded in response, and Ino sighed, "I hope it goes as smoothly as you think it will, Shikamaru..."

"Me too Ino." Shikamaru replied.

The thought of losing another precious person to _them_ sent a bubble of white hot fury coursing through him. Fury, and _fear._

"Me too."

* * *

"Kane, someone's approaching!" Karin said, and Kane nodded in response. Karin was definitely a good choice for a companion.

The three continued walking until a ninja appeared before them, taking a knee and bowing his head.

Kane raised an eyebrow as Karin looked confused.

Kabuto smiled.

"Kabuto-sama! I bring news!"

Kabuto stuck his hand out, and the Sound Shinobi pulled out and quickly handed a small piece of paper over to the medic.

Kabuto scanned the contents of the missive, and his eyebrows raised to his hairline.

"Interesting..." Kabuto mumbled before turning his attention back to the Sound Shinobi.

"What else?" Kabuto asked.

"Orochimaru-sama has had several of us waiting for this situation for quite some time. He has been watching the situation involving the two Akatsuki members carefully, and has deemed this the perfect opportunity to move forward with his plans."

Kabuto raised an eyebrow, "You sure found me quick. I'm nowhere near Konoha."

Kane raised an eyebrow, attempting to follow the strange conversation.

"Yes, Kabuto-sama. It is fortunate that you are between Konoha and Oto, where we received word of your arrival before you even entered the Country."

"Well, lead the way then."

"Hai, Kabuto-sama!" The man saluted, but paused when Kabuto held a hand up, halting him.

The medic turned to face Kane and Karin, "My apologies, Kane-kun. It seems something has come up that demands my immediate attention. You understand."

Kane scowled, "Not helping us fight the Akatsuki?"

Kabuto smirked, "Think of it as, I'm staying out of your way like you asked."

Kane glared, not appreciating having his words twisted like that.

"Besides," Kabuto continued, "I told you I'm not much of a fighter. I gave you the information on the Akatsuki. Isn't that what you really wanted? I'll find you as soon as I'm done with this little errand."

Kane scowled and Karin glared as Kabuto turned and gestured to the Sound Shinobi. Then, the two were gone.

"Looks like it's just us, then..." Karin spoke, and for the first time wished the medic ninja hadn't left them.

 _'That means I'm going to have to fight with Kane in a two on two versus S-Ranked Missing Ninja... Oh Kami!'_ Karin thought while pulling at her hair.

"It's fine. Let's go." Kane said, and began marching once more.

 _'Why do I have a bad feeling about all of this?'_ Karin asked herself.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Sasuke asked, and the blonde nodded fiercely as Sai smiled in response.

Sasuke turned to their 'Sensei'.

"YOOOOOOOOOOOSH! LET US SUPPORT OUR COMRADES AND SHOW THEM THE FIRES OF OUR YOUTH!" Might Gai screamed at the top of his lungs, and Naruko and Sasuke both cringed and clamped their hands over their ears in response.

Sai merely smiled.

"Let's go then." Sasuke commanded, and the four took off.

* * *

As Kabuto arrived with the Sound Shinobi, he smirked.

"Didn't expect to find you here in Fire Country." Kabuto spoke formally, however mirth could be detected in his voice.

"Yes, well, I can't miss an opportunity like this now can I?"

"I'm surprised you wanted me here for this. You could've done this alone, and now I've abandoned Kane-kun to deal with the Akatsuki by himself."

The man chuckled, "Kane-kun can do just fine on his own I'm sure. If not... Well, perhaps it wasn't meant to be."

Kabuto frowned, "Not meant to be? Then who would-"

"He will survive. I'm sure of it." The man interrupted.

Kabuto nodded, "I will differ to your judgement. You always have had an amazing intuition."

A Sound Shinobi approached and bowed, before quickly announcing, "Naruko Namikaze, Sasuke Uchiha and two others have left Konoha on a mission! They're heading exactly where we expected them to!"

Kabuto smirked, "An amazing intuition indeed, Orochimaru-sama."

* * *

"Hidan." Kakuzu spoke.

"Yeah yeah, I know." Hidan sighed, and the two came to a halt and turned.

They waited, and before long two figures approached.

"Hmm?" Kakuzu's eyes widened as he took in the new comers.

"What? You know these guys, Kakuzu?"

"Know them? Not personally, no. I know _of_ them." Kakuzu clarified.

Hidan gave him an annoyed and exasperated look, "Ehhh? What the hell does that mean, you bastard?"

"You're looking at the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails."

"Another Jinchuriki?! Aww come on! We can't kill the Jinchuriki! What about the girl?!" Hidan asked as he eyed the red headed companion with malicious delight.

"Do as you will with her."

Karin shivered, and Kane narrowed his eyes.

 _'Things are about to get ugly.'_

* * *

End of Chapter 52


	55. Chapter 53

Really, had he learned nothing from his battle against Sasori of the Red Sand?

Here he was, facing off against not one, but _two_ fully fledged members of the Akatsuki and he knew next to nothing about either one of them. Once again, he'd jumped head first into danger.

Still, he would make the same decision over and over again if given the chance.

He wasn't about to let an opportunity to take down Akatsuki members slip between his fingers. For each member he kills, that's one less to worry about. For every minute a member is left alive, that's a whole minute they're working towards capturing the other Jinchuriki.

And then, when there are none left, they'll all have their eyes set on him. All focus will be given towards capturing him, and each member will begin hunting him and him alone.

He wants to purge their numbers before they get that chance.

Hidan, who had his eyes closed and a medallion held in front of his face as if in prayer, quickly put the medallion away and smirked at Kakuzu.

"Oi oi, let's get this show on the road eh Kakuzu?" Hidan asked with an excited voice, prepared to sacrifice the red head to his lord Jashin.

"By all means." Kakuzu agreed.

Kane took the backpack he always carried with him, and tossed it over his shoulder.

" _Yeehaw!_ " Hidan screamed as he charged, pulling his red scythe out.

Kane's eyes dashed across the terrain, quickly assessing the area before both he and Karin jumped in opposite directions. Hidan turned, chasing after the redhead instead of Kane, and Kane's eyes widened.

 _'Shit!'_

Karin gasped as Hidan quickly began closing the distance.

 _"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"_ Kane yelled out as he shot a large ball of fire towards Hidan's back.

" _Karin! Move!"_ Kane shouted, and the girl jumped away as Hidan turned just in time to see a huge ball of fire engulf him.

Karin quickly sprinted over to Kane, and Kane watched the flames with narrowed eyes.

That had been _too_ easy.

 _"Hahahaha!"_ Hidan laughed maniacally as he sprinted at the duo once again, completely unharmed.

Kane whipped out a kunai and blocked, the kunai sliding in between the blades of the scythe, and Kane glared as Hidan smirked.

Karin's eyes whipped over to Kakuzu, but the other Akatsuki member seemed content to watch the battle carefully, not making a single move.

"I'm gonna cut you up, bastard!" Hidan grunted before attempting to slice Kane's stomach. Kane jumped back, right into Karin, and the girl gasped as the two fell to the ground.

"Karin! Get your head in the game!" Kane shouted as he grabbed the girl and jumped away, narrowly avoiding Hidan's scythe once again.

Kakuzu watched with interest.

 _'Show me, Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails. Show me how you defeated Sasori.'_

Hidan twirled his scythe before resting it on his shoulder, "Ehhh? Is that all you've got? You two are weeeeak! So weak! What the hell..."

Kane glanced at Karin, realizing for the first time just how weak the girl truly was in a battle. He knew she'd come in handy regardless, but he needed her to get out of his way for now.

"Karin, try to stay back. I'll handle these guys, you support me when I need it, and watch them and try to figure out their techniques."

"R-right."

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, _'So that woman isn't a battler. I wonder what support she can provide, then.'_

Karin jumped back, and after eyeing Kakuzu for a moment Kane turned his attention back to Hidan.

Hidan smirked, "Jashin-sama will be pleased when I offer that bitch as a sacrifice to him. You're just in the way, Jinchuriki!"

Hidan threw his scythe at Kane, and Kane's eyes widened as he jumped away. Then, Hidan retracted the scythe backwards and swung it at Kane like a rope.

Kane jumped, the scythe flying under him, and after landing on his feet he charged Hidan.

"Hyaaa! That's more like it!" Hidan screamed as he ran at Kane as well.

Kane continuously blocked Hidan's scythe with a single kunai, looking for any opening he could find.

 _'I need to find a way to draw blood!'_

Kane gasped as Hidan kicked him in the stomach, and then as Kane began flying backwards his eyes widened as the scythe swung, barely grazing his cheek and drawing a thin line of blood.

Hidan smirked as Kane rolled to his feet.

"Ehhh, come on now... That all you got?"

Kane glared.

 _'There's no water anywhere near here, so I'm on my own... I don't have much to work with here. I need to burn some Chakra using a Water Jutsu, but I don't want to reveal my abilities until I learn more about these guys...'_

Kane's eyes trailed over to Kakuzu, who still stood there watching in silence.

 _'And that guy... Is he not going to join in?'_

Hidan smirked evilly as he licked the blood off his scythe.

He pulled out a small holster which extended into a long, spear-like weapon, and he laughed loudly.

"The preparations are finished! Don't worry, Kakuzu! I won't kill him! I'll save it for the bitch!"

 _'What? What the hell is he-'_

Kane's eyes widened as a small black circle with a black triangle appeared on the ground surrounding Hidan's feet.

Then, Hidan took his spear, and he stabbed himself in the leg.

Kane gasped as he collapsed to the ground in pain.

 _'What?! What the hell did he do?!'_

Hidan laughed at Kane's dilemma, and Karin screamed out "Kane! What happened?!"

Kane slowly struggled to a stand, and his eyes widened as Hidan pulled the blade from out of his leg and Kane felt even more pain roll through him.

 _'He... He stabbed himself, and It felt like he stabbed me instead!'_

His eye's widened.

 _'Any pain he receives, I receive too! That's how this guy kills people! He's immortal, so he won't die if he stabs himself!'_

Hidan continued cackling as he stabbed his own arm, and Kane grunted and twitched at the pain that suddenly shot through him.

Kane's eyes locked onto the now two open wounds on Hidan.

 _'I can feel him, now... He's bleeding...'_

As Hidan pulled the blade from his arm, Kane took a leap of faith.

He immediately began boiling the man's blood, and Hidan gasped as he collapsed onto his knees.

Kane's eyes widened as he felt his own blood heating up, too.

He willed it to stay cool. He would _not_ be attacked by his _own_ blood! He was a Sanguis, damnit! His blood obeyed him and only him! It was his ally, not his enemy! It would never betray him!

Kane struggled slightly, but as Hidan's blood continued to heat up, Kane's own maintained a consistent temperature.

He willed his opponents blood to heat up to critical levels, and sighed with relief as Hidan's body ceased all movement.

He turned to face Kakuzu, who looked lost in thought as he observed the fight before him.

"Yes! Yes! _Yes!_ " Hidan's voice permeated through the air, and Kane whipped around to face the downed immortal in shock, his mouth dropping open.

 _"It feels so good!_ _ **Please! Keep going!**_ _"_ Hidan literally begged as he screamed.

Kane and Karin both stared in complete shock as the man began to shake, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

"This pain! I've never felt anything like it! This is _amazing!_ Please! _Please!_ Give me _MORE!"_

Kane looked on in disgust. This guy was an absolute freak!

"How?! _How?!_ How are you doing this?! Please tell me!" Hidan screamed as he continued shaking, his eyes speaking not of great pain and turmoil but rather of someone experiencing intense pleasure and ecstasy.

"The boy can control your blood, obviously. He's heating it up. He's obviously connected in some way to blood. He's similar to you in that way." Kakuzu's voice cut through the air and Kane whirled around to face the other member, glaring in anger and shock.

 _'This guy figured it out that quickly?! And just by watching?!'_

Kane grit his teeth. This guy was no ordinary ninja.

"Blood?! You control blood?! Could... Could it be..." Hidan murmured as he continued to shake on the ground, the circle affiliated with his ritual fading away until it disappeared completely.

Kane rubbed his still pulsating arm and leg as he continued to glare at Kakuzu.

 _'One down, one to go... Wait, where's the guy's arm?!'_ Kane realized in shock that Kakuzu was _missing an arm!_

Suddenly, a loud eruption occured behind Kane and he glanced behind him to see Kakuzu's severed arm, thick grey tendrils controlling the hand as he latched onto Hidan's stomach. Several of the tendrils quickly began interweeving themselves into Hidan's skin, closing and sealing up the wounds on his leg and arm.

Karin gasped in shock, "Kane! He's stitching him up!"

Kakuzu's hand finished it's job, and quickly flew through the air, retracting itself back towards Kakuzu. Kane leaned away as the hand flew right passed his face.

Kane's eyes widened as he found he could no longer feel Hidan, nor could he continue heating up his blood.

Hidan continued to lay there, his eyes pointed towards the sky.

"Hidan, get up. No more games. Let's take down the Jinchuriki." Kakuzu called out, but Hidan didn't move, as if he hadn't heard him at all.

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed, _'What the hell's up with him?'_

"Tch, fine. Guess I'll just have to handle him myself."

Kakuzu threw his Akatsuki cloak into the air, and Kane and Karin stared in disbelief at the four masks that protruded from the immortals body, his entire being held together by what appeared to be stitches.

* * *

Gai's eyes narrowed, "Something's not right."

The other three turned to face him. Sasuke tensed, Sai stared emotionlessly and Naruko looked confused.

"What's up?" Naruko asked.

"Stop for a moment." Gai commanded, and the four came to a halt on a tree limb.

Gai stared forward for several moments in silence, and Naruko began fidgeting.

"Hey, what're we stopping for?! We need to find Team Ten!"

"Naruko, pay attention." Sasuke snapped, as he stared forward as well. Sai also seemed to be locked into something in the distance, and Naruko faced forward with a frown. Then, her eyes widened slightly.

"Someone's coming."

Gai nodded.

The four Konoha Shinobi jumped down off the tree limb and onto the earth's surface.

Almost immediately after, several ninja appeared before them.

Each donning a Sound Village headband.

"Hello! It's nice to see some friendly faces around for a change." Kabuto said as he walked forward, giving them a friendly smile.

"Friendly? I'm not so sure about that." Sasuke spoke as he glared harshly, Naruko mirroring him.

Sai stared at Kabuto curiously.

"What're Sound Shinobi doing way out here, near Konoha?" Gai asked as he crossed his arms.

Kabuto continued to give that same, fake smile, "We're just passing through. We're on a mission for Oto."

"A mission? Out here, in Fire Country, where it's out of your jurisdiction?" Gai asked, not believing the lie for a second.

"Yes. A mission." Kabuto responded as he smirked.

"And what exactly is this 'mission' of yours?" Gai asked.

"That's classified."

"Is that so?" Sasuke spoke as he took a step forward.

"Maybe we should declassify it, then!" Naruko said as she smirked, taking a step forward to stand beside Sasuke.

"We mean you no harm, Konoha Shinobi. Just let us pass." Kabuto said as he put his hands up in a placating manner.

Gai sighed as he shook his head, "So that's how it's gonna be, huh?"

Sasuke, Naruko and Sai all gave Gai a confused look.

"You're here, in Fire Country, and you expect us to simply 'let you pass'. You know fully well we cannot do that, and yet you ask it of us anyway. It is clear, you want us to strike first, so that you can claim us as the aggressors. I see your game, Sound Shinobi."

Kabuto smirked as Sasuke and Naruko turned to glare at him.

"Think what you like. All I ask is you let us pass."

"We can't do that." Gai said.

"Fine then, try to stop us." Kabuto smirked as the several Sound Jounin behind him stepped forward, making it a six on four battle.

"Team Seven! Attack!" Gai yelled as he charged.

* * *

Kakuzu groaned in apparent pain, his cries borderline screams, and Kane watched in horrified fascination as the masks seemed to literally _jump_ out of his body, forming four large, black creatures, and a hole in Kakuzu's chest where his heart was supposed to be.

Karin stared, terrified by the creatures standing behind Kakuzu.

Kane, on the other hand, stared, horrified by the hole in Kakuzu's chest.

 _'Holy Shit! Look at that! A giant hole in his chest, and I don't feel a damn thing! Does this guy not have blood, either?! Just like Sasori?!'_

Karin flinched as one of the black masked creatures moved slightly.

 _'The Chakra those things are giving off is horrible! It's disgusting!'_

"Karin!" Kane yelled out, and the girl blinked in confusion and fear before her eyes widened.

"Right!"

Karin jumped over to land beside Kane, and pulled back her sleeve. Kane leaned down and bit down on the girl's arm, and she cringed at the pain. Kane began sucking on Karin's Chakra, and he took care to ensure he didn't bite hard enough to draw blood.

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes as he observed the new development.

Kane leaned back, letting Karin's arm go, and sighed with relief as all the pain Hidan's curse infliced upon him seemed to fade away.

"Karin, stay back. I'll handle this guy. Keep an eye on the other one!"

Karin glanced over at the man who had repeatedly announced he was going to murder her, and relaxed slightly upon seeing he had yet to move a muscle. She jumped away, making sure to keep her distance.

Kakuzu's body finished stitching itself back together on his back, and he stretched his arms for a few moments.

One of the black creatures, with a Wind Mask, jumped into the sky, and Kakuzu called out, _"Wind Style: Bleeding Force!"_

The masked creature fired off a huge burst of wind at Kane which began destroying and tearing apart the landscape in the area. Kakuzu raised his eyes as Kane appeared right in front of him and threw a punch. Kakuzu caught the punch and raised an eyebrow at the Jinchuriki.

 _'His skin... It's red... Too red to be normal. He's faster, too, for him to have dodged that Jutsu so easily...'_

Luckily, there were few ninja alive who could outspeed Kakuzu.

The two began trading blows. Kane was fast, but he wasn't faster than Kakuzu. Kakuzu blocked each and every punch and kick Kane threw, and then Kakuzu managed to land a single punch into Kane's chest.

Kane gasped in pain, blood flying from his mouth as he was sent flying backwards, rolling across the ground for some ways before catching himself.

He snapped his head up just in time to see another masked creature in front of him.

 _"Lightning Style: False Darkness!"_

Kane jumped away, narowly avoiding the torrent of lightning.

 _"Fire Style: Cranium Carver!"_

Kane jumped again, this time avoiding a burst of fire.

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed, _'This brat is fast. He's as fast as I am. It's going to be difficult to hit him.'_

 _"Water Style: Pressure Damage!"_ Kakuzu called out as the water masked creature fired off a jet stream of water at Kane.

He dodged it once again, and Kakuzu continued his elemental assault as he observed Kane with a keen eye.

Kane charged Kakuzu once more as soon as there was an opening, and Kakuzu easily caught Kane's fist before kicking him away.

Kane smirked as another jet stream of water flew at him, and Kakuzu's eyes widened as the stream _redirected_ and began flying at _him._

Kakuzu jumped away, but not before the jet stream ripped off his left arm, and he howled in pain.

Kakuzu glared at Kane as he continued dodging the elemental ninjutsu being thrown at him, _'What the hell was that?!'_

Kakuzu screamed in pain as he suddenly found himself drenched in water. The water wasn't cool, though.

It was _hot._

Kakuzu fell to the ground as the boiling water consumed him, and Kane sighed with relief as he cooled his blood off.

 _'I don't think I could've kept that up much longer... Thank Kami he didn't realize what I was doing. I was baiting out his water creature into shooting a jet of water near him, and as soon as I could get some of that water positioned behind him, Kakuzu never saw it coming!'_

 _"Kane, watch out!"_ Karin screamed.

Kane turned and saw the lightning masked creature had fired off another shot at him, and Kane jumped away.

The lightning grazed him, and Kane felt the electricity course through his body as he screamed in pain, landing on the ground as Karin sprinted over to him.

Karin helped him lean up so he could see, and both ninja watched as the water masked creature jumped towards Kakuzu before filling the hole where his heart should've been. Kakuzu stood up slowly, glaring at Kane the entire time.

Kane stared in shock before quickly willing the water still near Kakuzu's feet to attack him once more, but Kakuzu jumped away and the fire masked creature quickly filled the entire area below Kakuzu with a burning inferno, completely drying up the landscape.

Kakuzu landed on both feet and glared once again.

 _'Can he do that with the other elements, too?! I'm not sure. No! No more chances! I'm not taking any risks with this Jinchuriki!'_

Karin and Kane watched as the remaining masked creatures were dragged back towards Kakuzu, tethered by the same tendrils as before, and Kakuzu quickly absored the remaining hearts.

His mouth burst open and his entire body became a giant, octopus-shaped form with tendrils bursting and flying through the air. The three masks surrounded Kakuzu's head.

 _'There's no water left for me to use! I can try to make my own, but...'_

As Kane stared at the monstrous creature before him, he knew.

It wouldn't be enough.

* * *

As Gai continued to pummel the two Sound Jounin into the ground, Naruko did the same as her clones continued to fight off two other Sound Jounin at once.

Sai was faring well, Naruko admitted begrudgingly. He was only fighting a single Sound Ninja, but these guys were all Jounin, and Sai was clearly winning. It was impressive.

Sasuke, on the other hand...

"Tch! _Chidori Nagashi!"_ Sasuke yelled out as he shot a bolt of lightning at Kabuto. The medic ninja merely smirked as he dodged it, and continued his assault on the dark haired shinobi.

 _'Why is this guy so difficult to hit?!'_ Sasuke thought with annoyance.

Sasuke shot a fireball.

Kabuto dodged.

Kabuto swiped.

Sasuke dodged.

Sasuke shot a bolt of lightning.

Kabuto dodged.

And so it went on and on and on. No matter what he tried, he couldn't hit the guy. He couldn't use any of his larger jutsu, for fear of accidentally striking his teammates or Gai, and what he was left to work with just couldn't seem to hit Kabuto.

Gai let loose a joyous cry of victory as the two Sound Ninja lay on the ground before him. Naruko smirked as she landed next to him, her two opponents unconscious as well.

Sasuke growled. Naruko and Gai had finished taking out _two_ opponents and he hadn't even hit Kabuto!

Sasuke glanced over at Sai, just in time to see him finish his opponent off with another strike from one of his drawings.

Now Sasuke was _really_ annoyed.

Kabuto seemed to take notice of his predicament as the other three Leaf Shinobi turned their attention towards him. Soon after, he found himself surrounded.

Kabuto smirked as he put both hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"Okay, you got me. I give up." Kabuto spoke with a disarming smile.

"Why are you here, servant of Orochimaru?" Gai demanded, and Kabuto laughed in response.

"Hmm... I wonder..." Kabuto drawled with a condescending smile.

"Tell us!" Naruko shouted.

"See, I would, but I really must be going. I need to go check on Kane-kun."

Naruko and Sasuke tensed, and the blond growled out, "What do you mean?!"

"I'm following him. He's fighting the Akatsuki right now, in fact. Which is why I should probably get going, yes?"

"Where is he?!" Sasuke snapped, glaring harshly as Naruko started growling.

"Like I said, he's fighting the Akatsuki. He should be just about finished by now... So I suppose this is where I say, see you later!"

And as Naruko charged him, he disappeared in a _**'poof!'**_ of smoke.

Only to leave behind the unmoving body of a Sound Chunin.

* * *

Kabuto smiled as he approached his master.

"That jutsu really is incredibly, Orochimaru-sama. To think, I can fight somewhere and not actually be in any real danger, even if it does limit my abilities."

Orochimaru chuckled, "Indeed. I used it myself to fight Minato-kun several years ago, if you recall."

Kabuto nodded before asking, "What about the Sound Shinobi we left behind? They'll be interrogated."

Orochimaru shrugged, "They'll find nothing. I placed a seal on the back of each one's neck before sending you off to fight. As soon as one goes to sleep or loses consciousness, the seal activates. They'll have no more information to give than a new born toddler would."

Kabuto looked confused, "A new born?"

Orochimaru smirked, "Yes, As in, the seal I placed on them corrodes the brain back into an infant state, permanently."

"Very cruel Orochimaru-sama. Very genius as well."

Orochimaru hummed.

Kabuto looked at his master curiously, "So you watched the battle. It was quite uneventful. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes, unfortunately. I'd say I figured out plenty. It's amazing, what these eyes can reveal." Orochimaru smirked as he activated his Sharingan.

"And?"

"And it would appear Kami has not deemed it necessary to bless me with good fortune. We'll have to go ahead and proceed with the original plans." Orochimaru, despite his words, held a smile on his face.

"As you wish, Orochimaru-sama."

* * *

Karin screamed in pain as a tendril of Kakuzu slammed into her back, slicing her up and causing her outfit to rip as blood began flowing down from the multiple cuts it inflicted.

Kane cursed as he grabbed Karin and jumped away again, gripping onto her tightly while in the air as he shielded her, just before another tendril slammed into the two of them.

As they rolled onto the ground, neither one moving, Kakuzu slowly approached.

"Are you dead, Jinchuriki? We need you alive." He called out.

Kane trembled as he slowly got to his feet, wounds covering his entire body as he continued to sweat and pant. He turned and glanced back at Karin behind him, as the girl laid on her stomach, the numerous open wounds on her back bleeding profusely.

 _'Shit! Shit! Shit! I need to bite Karin to heal, but what does it even matter?! Even if he let me do it, I still wouldn't be able to take him! I'm running out of Chakra, there's no water in the area, and the jutsu I've thrown at him haven't done shit!'_

Ever since turning into that disgusing form, Kane hadn't been able to do a damned thing. He shot fire jutsu at him, and the man replied in kind. He tried shooting several water bullets, and the man responded with lightning. When he attempted to manipulate the water from the water bullets after the fact, Kakuzu spat fire towards the liquid, quickly drying it up.

He'd even tried heating up his blood again, but Kakuzu was as fast as ever, and was able to keep up with him.

Then, he'd started targetting Karin.

That had been the beginning of the end for them.

As soon as Karin became a target, Kane had to defend _both_ of them, and he could barely defend himself. Now, he was running out of options.

 _'Shit. No! I won't die here! I will_ _ **survive!**_ _'_

Kane glanced at Karin again.

"Karin..."

The red head looked at him in pain as she didn't move anything but her eyes. The girl had reached her limit of abuse she could take, and they both knew it.

"If I don't do something, we'll die."

Karin said nothing as she stared.

Kakuzu continued to approach, his wicked face seemed to be smiling, but Kane couldn't be sure.

Kane had learned a new trick during his time in Water Country. It was useful, albeit slightly repetitive. He had learned a _second_ way of killing somebody instantly whenever he caused them to bleed.

He could rip blood straight out from them, as if it were his own.

It wasn't necessary. Once he established the connection, he always just boiled the blood until they died. It was faster. Easier. Less cruel. There wasn't much use for him to actually rip the blood from the person's body.

Not unless he needed it, that is.

 _ **'I will survive.'**_

Kane closed his eyes.

"Karin... When this is all over..."

Kakuzu paused as Kane's eyes snapped open, and there was a cold ruthlessness to them that caused Kakuzu to hesitate for a moment.

"Forgive me."

And Karin let out a silent scream as the blood in her body fled her, flying into the air and launching towards Kane.

The red head fell still, and Kane closed his eyes once again.

 _'I just hope I didn't take too much. If I did, then she's already dead.'_

Kane wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, "So Jinchuriki, what're you going to do with that blood then? You're out of Chakra, you're injured, and you're out of your league. How will that blood help you here?"

Kane snarled as the blood flowed in front of his face.

And then, he started to drink.

* * *

End of Chapter 53

A/N:

I'm sure many of you have noticed, but I've begun uploading only one chapter per day.

As you can see, chapters are getting longer. Not every chapter will be this long, and some will be even longer, but because of this I can't keep the pace at two per day. To do so would require that I begin rushing content, and I don't want to do that. I will continue to upload at least one per day, and sometimes I may surprise you guys with an extra, who knows!


	56. Chapter 54

They were wrong.

They were all so very, very wrong.

Yuka-sensei, Naibu, the entirety of the Sanguis clan...

They were all _so wrong..._

Yuka-sensei had been right about one thing; he'd never tasted pure blood. It was true, everyone's blood was different, and there was most definitely something special about the Sanguis clans blood.

Karin's blood was purer.

It felt so _good!_ He'd tasted the blood of many Shinobi in Water Country, when he was attempting to master this trump card of the Sanguis clan. None of them had felt as good as Yuka-sensei's had.

Karin's felt better.

There was just something amazing about her blood. It gave him a high like none he'd ever felt before. He wanted _more,_ but his rational mind refused his instincts to rip the remaining blood from the red headed girl's body. That beautiful, perfect, _pure_ blood.

The blood of the Uzumaki.

 _'The first rule of the Sanguis Clan; there is Chakra in the Blood.'_

Yuka-sensei's voice echoed through his mind, and it only made him feel _even stronger._

Her blood had her Chakra. Her Chakra had her healing abilities.

He was essentially biting her neck with every sip of her blood he took.

He felt _invincible!_

He turned his eyes to Kakuzu, and the man-octopus-creature was staring at him, waiting to see what he'd do.

So Kane moved.

Kakuzu's eyes widened as a foot found itself planted into his face, and the man went flying.

Kane glared and snarled as Kakuzu flew through the air.

 _Why was he fighting this guy again?_

 _He didn't even have any blood!_

Kane turned to face Karin.

 _But she did._

He slowly started walking towards her, and Kane paused and stood straight up, completely still, and his hand slowly came down to grip his stomach.

Wait, where had his stomach gone?

Kane turned his head slightly to see Kakuzu glaring at him, having fired off a jet of air straight through his torso.

Kane looked down at the hole in his stomach and stared.

Then, he started drinking more of the blood that was continuously flowing around his body.

Kakuzu's eyes widened in shock, and Kane stared in fascination as his stomach began to mend itself back together.

 _Karin's blood was amazing!_

He turned to face Kakuzu once again, and the octopus monster launched two tendrils towards his body.

And then went flying as Kane planted a foot in his face again.

Kakuzu caught himself this time, and snarled at Kane.

 _'This brat's fast, even faster than me, but I've already grown used to his speed. I can see him now; he won't hit me again.'_

Kane continuously launched himself at Kakuzu, and this time Kakuzu blocked each and every blow Kane threw at him. Kakuzu tried to respond by throwing out the occassional elemental Ninjutsu, but Kane was too quick for him to hit.

They were at a stalemate.

Kane groaned internally, this guy was interrupting him! He was going to go get more blood from Karin!

Wait, was that right?

No, he had been about to kill Kakuzu!

Kane glanced back at Karin, and snarled.

He'd leave the girl be. Instead, he'd slaughter this creature before him.

Karin was his ally afterall.

Wait, what was he doing again?

Kane shook his head. This is exactly what he'd spent so much time practicing in Water Country! He wouldn't allow himself to completely lose his mind whenever he used this technique!

Kane snarled at Kakuzu, and the man just continued to stare at him, waiting for him to attack.

 _'I'm not fast enough... Not fast enough!'_

So Kane decided to become faster.

Kakuzu's eyes widened, fear shining within them for the first time, as he watched Kane's body begin turning red once more.

 _'This kid...! He's heating up his blood again! How fast will he-'_

Kakuzu never got to finish that thought, as Kane's hand penetrated through his wind mask and through his body to rip his heart out, squashing it in his palm as Kakuzu jumped back with a roar of pain.

Kane glanced at the destroyed heart and snarled.

This wasn't worthy of him. Only the Uzumaki's blood was worthy!

Kane threw the ruined appendage on the ground and launched himself back at Kakuzu.

Kakuzu tried to move, but it was too late; the same process repeated itself, this time ripping out his Fire Mask's heart.

 _'This kid! I haven't seen anyone this fast since the Raikage, A! He might very well be just as fast!'_

Kane charged again, and Kakuzu, in desperation began lashing his tendrils out in every direction.

Time seemed to slow down for Kakuzu, and he watched horrified as Kane weaved throughout each tendril, fitting between them snugly, before reaching in and ripping out the heart from his Lightning Mask.

Kakuzu roared as he jumped as far away as he could, his body failing him due to the loss of all of his heart's, and he fell to one knee as he began panting.

Kane snarled at the third heart, throwing it onto the ground and stomping it with all his might.

Why was this guy so worthless?! He wasn't an Uzumaki! How dare he stand before him if he wasn't an Uzumaki!

Kakuzu stared into the manic eyes of the Nine Tails Jinchuriki, and he closed his eyes slowly.

 _'It looks like my time has finally come.'_

Those were the last thoughts of Kakuzu The Immortal, as his final heart was ripped from his body.

* * *

"We're getting close." Pakkun, the ninja dog spoke as the four Konoha Shinobi followed close behind him.

"How much longer?" Shikamaru asked.

"I'd say about fifteen minutes. Ten, if we hurry."

"Let's get a move on then!" Kakashi ordered.

"Wait, There's more." Pakkun continued, and everyone turned to give the dog leading the charge their full attention.

"There aren't two people ahead. There's four. And if my nose isn't mistaken, there's a lot of blood, too. They're fighting."

"Someone else is fighting the Akatsuki?" Ino asked in confusion as Chouji shrugged at the question.

"Apparently we're not the only one's with a bone to pick with them." Shikamaru stated as he narrowed his eyes.

"Let's hurry." Kakashi commanded.

* * *

Kane stared down at Karin, his body trembling as he refused to let it move any closer to the girl.

 _'I won't let this bloodlust control me! I won't harm Karin any further!'_ Kane screamed to himself, as he just continued standing there.

How long had he been standing there, staring at the unconscious, possibly dying woman before him?

He didn't know.

Kane stepped backwards as a wave of dizziness and nausea hit him.

The Blood Well was calling to him.

 _'That means, I did it... I didn't harm Karin any further...'_ Kane thought with relief as he fell to his hands and knees as he began shaking.

It was time to visit the Well.

Kane's head snapped up as he felt a presence behind him, and he turned his head.

Blue met purple, and Kane felt horror as he realized his mistake.

 _He'd forgotten about the other Akatsuki member!_

Kane struggled to stand before collapsing onto his face.

The Blood Well would not be denied.

As he stared up into the manic, insane eyes of Hidan, Kane realized there was nothing he could do.

 _'Shit...'_

And then the world faded.

* * *

Kane's eyes snapped open, and he could see nothing but darkness. He tilted his head slightly and the red glow of the sea illuminated from below.

He stood up slowly, the sound of rushing water landing into the ocean from a waterfall filling his ears. He turned, and saw that rather than a waterfall of water, it was the expected waterfall of blood. Kane sighed as he slowly approached.

He stared at the blood flowing into the Red Sea neutrally. He'd visited the Red Sea numerous times during his time in Water Country, and this had become a normal sight to him.

This is where Naibu went crazy. He'd allowed the blood to fill into his ocean, although his ocean Kane assumed was also blood rather than red water, and it had driven the man mad.

That feeling, when he drank Karin's blood, it was intoxicating. He could see how a weaker mind could easily become lost in such a high.

If that was the feeling he got from drinking it, he wondered if Naibu felt something even greater by allowing it to mix in the Blood Well.

Not that he'd ever find out. Kane had no intentions of ever following in Naibu's footsteps. What the man had done was unforgivable. Kane couldn't care less about his reasonings.

Kane willed the blood to stop, and as if he was reversing time, he watched as the blood began flowing in the opposite direction, into the black abyss above.

He willed the blood that was trying to mix in with the ocean to leave as well, following the same path as the blood from the waterfall.

He'd purified his blood once more.

Kane's eyes narrowed as he felt frustration at his own ineptitude. That other Akatsuki, Hidan, had clearly captured him. What we he going to do about that?

He supposed he'd have to wake up first, before he could decide.

Now that he thought about it, Kane had no idea exactly how much time passed between him falling unconscious and him waking up. It tended to vary based on the amount of blood he drank, but would Karin's blood, being more pure and giving him a greater high and boost in strength, take longer? Or shorter? Or would it be the same? He wasn't sure.

Kane could tell the moment the Blood Well began dismissing him, as seconds later he fell into blissful sleep.

* * *

Kane's eyes opened to find himself being jostled. His eyes took in the sight of tree limbs quickly passing below him.

Somebody was carrying him!

He struggled, and quickly he found his momentum stop and his body placed down onto a tree limb. Kane glared as Hidan's face came into view, Karin thrown over his other shoulder.

"You're awake! Finally!" Hidan practically screamed, and Kane flinched in response.

Kane struggled to a stand, and glared at Hidan as the man continued to smile at him like a kid in a candy store.

"You're not taking me anywhere, Akatsuki!" Kane snarled, and Hidan looked shocked then confused.

"Oh! I see." Hidan spoke with a huge grin as he nodded in realization.

Then, to Kane's surprise, he took off his Akatsuki cloak and dropped it off the tree limb, the cloak quickly falling towards the Earth.

"What? You-"

"I'm abandoning that stupid organization. I never cared about it to begin with. You! I care about you! You and Jashin-sama!" Hidan screamed as he held his fist in the air.

"What?" Kane asked flabbergasted. This guy really was nuts!

"You're the messiah! The chosen of Jashin-sama! When I first prayed to my lord and savior, he granted me two things! One, immortality. Two, the power to inflict pain on other's that I myself take if I drink their blood!"

Hidan began cackling madly, and Kane tensed.

"Then you came along! The one who can control blood! The Messiah! Prophet! The Chosen! You are the favored of Jashin-sama, his one and true heir! You will carry out his will!"

 _'What the hell is he talking about?'_ Kane thought warily.

"I don't serve this, 'Jashin-sama'." Kane spoke cautiously.

"Ehhhh?! Sure you do! Even if you don't know it, he's chosen you! You're his Champion!" Hidan declared as if it were a fact.

"Please, bless me with the knowledge of knowing your name, Champion!" Hidan continued to yell, and Kane thought he was going to burst an ear drum if the guy didn't shutup soon.

"Kane. Kane Sanguis."

"Kane-sama! From now on, please, let me serve you as your faithful follower! Together, we will cause destruction and mayhem in the name of Jashin-sama!" Hidan spoke as he fell to his knees and clapped his hands together, his eyes closed as if in prayer.

Kane stared at the lunatic before him like he'd lost his mind. Which, clearly, he had.

"Why would I let an Akatsuki member follow me?!" He spoke in disbelief.

"Former! Screw that group! The only reason I joined in the first place was because they told me I could continue to make sacrifices to Jashin-sama while they protected me, if I did what they said! Now I see, Jashin-sama sent you to find me! He wants me to follow you! Even if you don't serve him directly, he has _chosen_ you! Let me serve you!"

Kane continued to look distrustfully at Hidan, and the man continued to beg.

"I can prove useful! I'm powerful, and immortal! I'll protect you! I'll tell you all about the Akatsuki, too! Anything you want to know, Kane-sama!"

Kane felt tired. Clearly, he needed more rest. He was always so tired after visiting the Red Sea...

"Fine. Just... Is Karin alright?" Kane asked as he eyed the girl that Hidan had unceremoniously dropped onto the tree limb when he fell to his knees.

"Ehhh? The bitch? She's fine, I think. I don't know, I'm not some damned medic ninja. She's still breathing, if that helps."

Kane nodded and sighed with relief as he closed his eyes.

"Kane-sama, I should probably tell you... Several ninja have been chasing us for some time. I've been carrying Kane-sama and the bitch to safety, but we need to keep moving if we're going to stay ahead of them."

Kane kept his eyes closed. This was too much to process when he'd just woken up.

"Hidan, right?"

"Yes, Kane-sama!" Hidan yelled, pleased that his new master already knew his name.

"Continue carrying both myself and Karin. I need to rest longer."

"Yes, Kane-sama!"

* * *

"They've stopped." Pakkun spoke.

"Good! Maybe now we'll _finally_ catch up!" Ino whined.

Shikamaru glanced at Kakashi, "Do you think he's caught a Jinchuriki?"

Kakashi shook his head as his eye narrowed, "I'm not sure _what's_ going on. We saw from the battlefield we examined that the body we found was one of the Akatsuki members we've been hunting. You said his name was Kakuzu?"

Shikamaru nodded.

"Then the other one is ahead. But, if he was fighting a Jinchuriki, why is he carrying _two_ people? There's no way he's moving two Jinchuriki at once... At least, I highly doubt it."

"Then why is he carrying them both?"

Kakashi sighed, "I don't know."

"They've started moving again." Pakkun announced and Ino groaned.

"Of course they have..." She mumbled to herself.

"Come on, they're _not_ getting out of Fire Country!" Shikamaru declared.

 _'Asuma-sensei... I'll avenge you. Please, watch me!'_

* * *

Kane opened bleary eyes as he found himself leaned up against the stump of a large tree, Karin right beside him.

Why was he awake? He definitely hadn't been asleep very long, although he still felt ten times better than before...

A drop of water landed on his nose, and Kane wrinkled it in response before looking up.

 _'Oh... It's started to rain... That explains it...'_

Kane slowly stood and stretched before carefully examining Karin.

 _'She's still hurt, but I think... I think she'll be okay... I need to have a medic ninja check her over. Maybe Kabuto, if the bastard ever comes back...'_

Kane stood and looked around in confusion.

Where was Hidan?

And as the rain began pouring down, Kane closed his eyes at the soothing sensation that began filling his entire being.

* * *

"You bastard! How?!" Hidan snarled as his found he could no longer move. His entire body was surrounded by paper bombs, and a small blade that was once used by Asuma Sarutobi was planted into the ground near Hidan's feet, inside his shadow.

"They're made from a special metal that lets them absorb their user's elemental Chakra. Using the Chakra they absorb, their wielder can use them as a base for his techniques." Shikamaru began explaining.

Hidan glared down at the blade connected to his shadow.

"But all you need to know is I'm using my _Shadow Possession Jutsu_ through the blades."

"Well done, Shikamaru." Kakashi nodded his approval, and Shikamaru casually pulled out Asuma Sarutobi's lighter.

He and Hidan stared at each other, Shikamaru's eyes at peace and Hidan's speaking of great fear of his own demise, and Shikamaru tossed the lighter towards Hidan.

 _'Sayonara, Sensei.'_

As The four Leaf Shinobi watched on, Hidan stared at the lighter in complete despair.

Then, just before it landed, a kunai slammed into it, sending it flying far away from Hidan.

Team Ten gasped in shock, but Kakashi was already glaring up at a figure above them. They turned, and found themselves staring at a slightly familiar face.

"Kane..." Kakashi whispered.

"Kane?!" Ino and Chouji both shouted, not expecting to see the missing member of the Konoha Twelve here of all places.

"Kane..." Shikamaru mumbled as he stared up into cold, blue eyes.

"Hidan. I can't even sleep for an hour without you threatening to lose your life?" Kane spoke, his eyes drilling into the former Akatsuki member.

"Ehhh! Kane-sama, I was protecting you from these cretins! They were a threat to your sleep, so I left you and the bitch by a tree and came to confront these heretics!"

 _'Kane-sama?!'_ The four Leaf Shinobi thought in unison.

"What're you doing here, Kane?" Shikamaru called out, pissed that his vengeance had been delayed by someone he hadn't seen in years.

"I came to pick up my... Teammate." Kane drawled as his eyes moved to Shikamaru.

"Teammate?!"

"Hidan. Did you mean what you said back then?" Kane asked as he once again diverted his attention to the trapped S-Ranked Missing Ninja.

"Yes, Kane-sama! I wish to serve you, in the name of Jashin-sama!"

"What?!" Chouji shouted as Ino began shaking her head in complete disbelief.

 _'This isn't happening! This can't be happening!'_ Ino thought as she began to understand what this could mean.

Shikamaru grit his teeth as he began growling.

"Will you follow me no matter where I go? Will you always stay loyal to _me,_ unlike how you swayed against Akatsuki?" Kane announced. Really, at this point, he was just doing it to screw with Shikamaru.

He _hated_ people like Shikamaru.

Those who held such love, such devotion, for someone other than themselves.

He'd enjoy putting Shikamaru in his place.

"Yes, Kane-sama! To you and Jashin-sama, and noone else!" Hidan screamed as he began grinning in sick, twisted pleasure.

"Then I'll free you from your predicament." Kane said as if it would be an easy task.

"Shut _UP!_ I won't let this happen! Shut your damned mouth, Kane!" Shikamaru roared.

Kane raised an eyebrow at the Nara. Really, he was always so cool. So calm. So collected. It was impossible to rile the boy up, back when they were younger. He'd seen Naruko try and fail many times, and Ino too for that matter.

And now, because of vengeance, because of his _love_ for his sensei, he was raging like a wild beast.

He really hated people like that.

Kane nodded at Hidan, and the man's smile widened even further as he began shaking in glee. He looked like a child that had just been told he could have the thing he wanted more than anything in the world.

"Kane, do you even know what you're doing?! This man _killed_ Asuma-sensei! He's a murderer! He's an Akatsuki!" Shikamaru screamed.

"I don't care." Kane spoke drily, and Shikamaru's eyes widened.

"What?!"

"I don't care that he killed Asuma. All I care about, is that he could be useful to me. He could help me in my quest for survival."

"You don't _care?!_ How can you say that?! He murdered my sensei! Imagine if he'd done the same thing to Kakashi-sensei!"

"Shikamaru, people like you _disgust_ me." Kane said, and Ino and Chouji both flinched at his tone.

"Kane! Stop it!" Chouji shouted as tears began falling down his face, mixing with the rain that was pouring down upon the area.

What had happened to the quiet boy they remembered from the academy?

"You're out here, fighting for revenge because of your devotion to a dead man. That's _pathetic."_

Shikamaru balled his hands into fists as his arms began shaking.

"Only someone who fights for themself, and only themself, can become truly strong." Kane spoke, his mind wandering to when he first met Sabaku no Gaara, and then trailing off to his first interaction with Yuka Sanguis.

Kane didn't move a muscle as a kunai was gently placed in front of his neck.

"That's enough, Kane." Kakashi spoke from behind him.

"Kakashi," Kane drawled out slowly, "It's been a while."

Kakashi's narrowed eye eased up slightly, as remorse began to shine through, "No more 'Kakashi-sensei', eh?"

Kane hummed, "You were never my sensei."

 _He'd only ever had one sensei._

Kakashi gasped in shock as a torrent of water slammed into his chest, pushing him against the tree and locking him in place, his entire body enclosed save for his head.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Chouji shouted out in shock, and Shikamaru flinched as he was no longer able to hold his Shadow Possession Jutsu on Hidan.

Hidan began struggling immediately, and Shikamaru shouted "Chouji! Hold him down!"

"Right!" Chouji hollered before immediately expanding his hand and wrapping it completely around the immortal.

"Oi oi! Let me go, you bastard!" Hidan screamed out, then looked down in surprise as Shikamaru grabbed hold of Asuma's blade and threw it towards Kane.

"Kane-sama! Don't let that thing hit your shad-"

 _ **'Thunk!'**_ The blade landed on the tree limb, right on Kane's shadow.

Shikamaru smirked, and Kane found he could no longer move his body.

"I won't let you get in the way, Kane. I'm going to avenge Asuma-sensei, and then I'll bring you back to the Leaf. I'm sure Naruko and Sasuke will be happy to see you." He spoke almost kindly, as if he were doing Kane a huge favor.

Kane raised a single eyebrow.

"Shikamaru. You fight for your friends, your family, your village and your loved ones. Do you know what I fight for?"

Shikamaru stared at Kane cautiously.

"I fight for myself." Kane spoke naturally.

Suddenly, Ino screamed as she gripped her head in pain, and Shikamaru turned to face the girl in shock before he quickly followed suit, gripping the top of his head and yelling in pain.

The rain that was consistently falling began to _burn_ above them. Drop after drop of _boiling_ water began to fall upon them.

Shikamaru was unable to hold the Shadow Possession Jutsu, and Kane quickly shunshined in front of the boy, who was still trying and failing to stop the rain from landing on him and burning his skin.

"So tell me, Shikamaru..." Kane spoke, feeling oddly nostalgic.

Shikamaru glanced up at Kane in fear.

"Who's stronger?"

Kane kicked Shikamaru in the head, and the lazy Nara fell to the ground, out cold.

"Shikamaru!" Chouji yelled, and a huge torrent of water flew at him from behind, slamming him into the Earth and then trapping him. His expansion jutsu cancelled, and Hidan began struggling to escape once more.

The same process repeated to Ino, and Kane turned to face Hidan.

The immortal finally burst an arm free, and began tearing off the numerous paper tags surrounding his body as he mumbled in discontent.

Kane glanced up at Kakashi, who was still struggling to escape his prison of water.

"Let's go, Hidan."

Hidan nodded as he finished wiping off the paper bombs.

 _"Kane!"_

Kane turned to look up at Kakashi.

"Don't do this!" The man begged as he watched his one time student with sadness.

Kane glanced away, and motioned for Hidan to follow.

And then, they were gone.

* * *

End of Chapter 54


	57. Chapter 55

Karin was _not_ happy.

 _"Ouch!"_ she gasped before glaring at Kabuto, who gave her an apologetic smile in return.

 _'He did that on purpose!'_ She thought with venom towards the fellow medic ninja. Kabuto was in the middle of checking her over for the third time since she'd awoken hours before.

Not only was the asshole back, but they had a new _teammate._

Hidan snickered at her, obviously enjoying the fact that she was in pain, and she growled at him in response. Hidan gave her a cheeky smile, showing his pearly white teeth.

And then, she turned her glare over towards _Kane._

He was sitting nearby, his legs crossed and a casual look on his face as he watched Kabuto work.

 _'Karin... When this is all over... Forgive me.'_

She understood why he did it. They were going to _die_ , and it was the only thing he could think of to save their skins. She understood _why,_ but it didn't change the fact that she was mad at him for it.

She tried to cut him some slack. He'd obviously not wanted to do it, if his words were any indicator, and in the end she was fine and they all came out of it unscathed. Mostly.

And yet...

As Karin stared into the calm, relaxed features of Kane, she realized he showed no regret as he watched her grimace from pain. Kabuto could only do so much for lack of blood, and her body would have to take care of itself for the most part. So there she was, constantly mewling as she felt weak, lightheaded and pulsating waves of pain throughout her body, and Kane just stared. He wasn't regretful, or remorseful, or even apologetic. He just stared.

He didn't look guilty in the slightest.

 _'I fight for my_ _ **survival**_ _'_

Karin was starting to understand just how true his words were.

As she glanced around to her present company, Karin realized that for the first time since leaving home, that she truly, _truly,_ regretted the decision.

* * *

As Team Seven and Team Ten, as well as Might Gai, finally reached Konoha, Shikamaru decided he'd had _enough._

The entire time the two squadrons were returning to Konoha to report a mission failure, Naruko pestered Kakashi-sensei with question after question about what happened. She hadn't stopped from the moment she found out Kane had shown his face to Kakashi-sensei.

It wasn't just her, either. Sasuke was pissing Shikamaru off just as much. He wasn't speaking, but he was listening intently. His full attention had been on the conversation between Naruko and Kakashi, obviously wanting to know the answers to the same questions Naruko was asking.

 _'What did he look like?'_

 _'How did he defeat all of you, especially you Kakashi?'_

 _'He really said all that?'_

 _'That doesn't sound anything like Kane!'_

 _'He can really manipulate Water, too?!'_

 _'So it's similar to Gaara's Sand?'_

 _'It rained boiling water?!'_

And the questions kept going on and on and _on._

Frankly, Shikamaru was _fed up_ with it.

"Naruko." Shikamaru barked out, and the blonde turned to him with wide eyes at his raised voice. Shikamaru rarely ever raised his voice!

"Yeah?"

"Shut. Up." He managed to speak through gritted teeth, and the girl looked shocked at his words, as did Sasuke. Ino and Chouji seemed as if they expected the outburst, despite how uncharacteristic it was. Kakashi and Gai both kept silent as they watched the confrontation unfold before them.

Sai had never looked so interested in a conversation before.

"What's your problem?!"

"My problem is _you!"_

Naruko's mouth dropped open, and Sasuke stepped forward to stand beside the girl in an obvious display of force, showing he would side with Naruko no matter what he said.

"What the heck did I do?!"

"I don't want to hear about Kane anymore!" Shikamaru snapped, and before the girl could comment he started to rant.

"He took away our chance to defeat an Akatsuki member! He hurt Ino, Chouji, and me! He took away our chance to _avenge Asuma-sensei!_ "

Naruko narrowed her eyes, "I'm sure it's not that simple! There's obviously more going on here than we realize!"

Shikamaru growled, "No, there's not! Your little _boyfriend_ saved the life of Asuma-sensei's _**murderer!"**_

Sasuke growled, "Watch it, Nara!"

Naruko threw in, "You don't know what you're talking about! I'm sure Kane has his reasons!"

Shikamaru chuckled almost darkly, "Do you know what he did?"

Naruko looked unsure and cautious, as at this point Kane had done a _lot_ of things...

"He called Hidan, the _murderer,_ his _**teammate!"**_

Naruko and Sasuke both looked shocked, and Gai's eyes widened at the news as well.

"So much for _'Team Seven',_ your third member has already _replaced_ you guys, and he chose the man who murdered my sensei for the spot." Shikamaru seethed.

"You're _lying!"_ Naruko accused as she bared her canines at the Nara. She turned to Kakashi for confirmation, and the man simply closed his eye in sadness, and Naruko cringed at the response.

Shikamaru took a step forward, getting into Naruko's personal space.

"Let me tell you something, Namikaze." He whispered quietly, and yet everybody heard him loud and clear.

Naruko narrowed her eyes at him as she stood her ground, and Sasuke placed a single hand on Shikamaru's shoulder, preventing him from getting any closer and silently threatening him.

"Eventually, Konoha's going to get sick and tired of waiting around for Kane to come home. Eventually, they're going to take him off the 'Capture On Sight' list, and put him on the 'Kill On Sight' list, like the _traitor_ deserves."

Naruko bared her canines once more, but said nothing.

"And when they do... I'll be the first one in line to take the mission to hunt him down." Shikamaru snarled at the girl and shrugged off Sasuke's hand.

Then, he pivoted, and marched off.

Ino and Chouji both looked afraid, confused and lost as they looked between the retreating figure of their teammate and Team Seven. Chouji took off running to catch up to the fuming Nara, and Ino sighed as she smiled apologetically at them.

"He didn't mean it. He's... He's not usually like this, as you guys are fully aware. He's just grieving for Asuma-sensei..."

Ino looked down sadly, "We all are..."

Then, she ran after her teammates.

Naruko began trembling as she clinched her fists tightly enough to turn her fists red. Sasuke said nothing as he stared after Team Ten.

Kakashi sighed, "Naru-"

"I don't care what he says." Naruko stated with no emotion in her voice, and Sai's eyes widened marginally.

"Kane is our teammate. No matter what happens, we'll bring him home."

Naruko turned and marched off, and Sasuke nodded towards the remaining three before following after the girl.

Sai stared after them, his thoughts running a mile a minute.

He had a lot to think about.

* * *

Minato continued to stroke his daughters head gently, his little girl balling his shirt up in her fists as she trembled. No sounds came from her, and he knew she was holding back her sobs as she cried.

He closed his eyes in sorrow. There was no greater pain in this life than watching your child hurt, and being helpless to do anything about it.

He knew that in the end, this all came back to him. There were so many things he could've done differently... Maybe, if he'd made just a single different choice, things wouldn't have turned out so terribly.

His little Naru-chan had always cared deeply for those she considered precious. If you managed to worm your way into the girls heart, she'd shake the very heavens in her attempts to make you happy. It was just how she was, and always would be.

But this... This was different, and Minato knew it. The reaction from the girl was above and beyond how she would react were it anybody other than Kane Sanguis. No matter who it was, she'd fight just as hard for them as she was fighting for Kane, but there wouldn't be this much sorrow behind the girl's will. She would be determined, but she wouldn't be this _sad._

"Naru-chan... You love him, don't you?"

The girl tensed but said nothing. Then, Minato felt her slowly nod into his chest, and he hugged the girl even tighter than before.

He wished there was something he could do. He wished he could go out and bring the boy home himself. He wished he could dedicate more resources into finding him. He wished, he wished, he wished.

But he couldn't. No matter what, he was the Hokage first and foremost. He had to put the needs above the village above everything else.

Minato knew, when the chips were down, he'd put Naruko's life and well-being above that of the village. His bond with the girl superseded his love for his village. Despite this, he couldn't go chasing after the girl's romantic interest... He had to focus on the village.

Still, he couldn't sit still and do nothing. He was her father, and he would do what he could for her, no matter what.

"Well, you'd better be prepared for your mission then huh?"

Naruko's head snapped up to stare at him in shock, her cerulean eyes watery and twin tears trailing from the corner of both eyes.

"You mean?" She trailed off, and along with the sorrow he found in her eyes, he also found another emotion.

Hope.

Minato grinned brightly at his most precious person, "You betcha! As soon as we receive word about him, I'm assigning _Team 7_ the mission to go retrieve him!"

And as Naruko jumped, tackling him to the ground with a joyous laugh bursting from both Namikaze's, Minato felt like he'd made the right decision. He felt like he'd done right by his daughter, and the feeling pleased him to no end.

He could only hope he wouldn't regret the decision some day.

* * *

 _"Yeehaw!"_ Hidan screamed as his blade clashed with the sword of a Kenjutsu specialist from the Hidden Hot Springs Village.

Karin stood with her arms crossed as she watched distastefully. Kane stood next to her, staring casually as Kabuto fought one Yuga Jounin and Hidan fought the other. They had spotted the foursome traveling down the road and had engaged them in battle, apparently spouting off something about 'Killing the Jinchuriki and becoming famous'.

Kane realized for the first time that it really _was_ true. _Everyone_ seemed to know who he was. Apparently, he was the first Jinchuriki to abandon his home village in... Well, he didn't even know. Maybe the first ever.

At first, he found this odd. Jinchuriki were known to be mistreated and abused, so why was it such a rarity for them to run away? Then, the more he thought about it the more it made sense. Life as a Missing Ninja was _not_ easy, and escaping one of the five major Villages was no easy task. They generally kept a tight lid on the biju hosts.

Kabuto knocked the Yuga Jounin unconscious with a smirk, and Hidan cut the enemy Yuga Jounin's left shoulder with his blade, drawing blood and smirking when the ninja jumped away.

Hidan turned and shouted back towards him over his shoulder, "Ehhh! Kane-sama! I know you said no killing ninja from the five major villages, but what about scum like this?"

Kane pondered this for a moment.

Really, he wasn't concerned with the smaller villages hating him. It didn't really matter if he committed crimes against them, and frankly he was getting sick and tired of their ninja constantly assaulting him. Maybe, if he killed a few here and there, they'd finally back off.

"Do as you like." Kane called out boredly. Karin gave Kane an unsure look. She wasn't necessarily _against_ the decision - Kami she was going to go crazy if another group of weak ninjas attacked them today! - but she wasn't _for_ it either, having come from a small village herself.

Still, it's not like they ever were the aggressors. They were always the ones being attacked, not the other way around. Karin decided she was fine with this decision, and couldn't help but wonder if that spoke badly of her character.

"What about this one, Kane-kun?" Kabuto thumbed backwards towards the unconscious Jounin.

"Leave him, he can tell Yuga what happened."

Hidan smirked evilly, and proceeded to lick the blood off his scythe.

The three other Missing Ninja were then blessed with their first witness of Hidan's delicate ritual, and not a single one wasn't horrified by what they saw.

* * *

"Are we really going to let him stay?! _Kane!"_ Karin pleaded. The two were sitting next to each other in front of a fire pit, a huge blaze raging and lighting up the area. It was night time, and Kabuto and Hidan were off getting food.

Hidan's 'ritual' was barbaric, to put it lightly. Kane knew the man killed his enemies by harming himself, but Hidan took it a step further. He delicately took his time torturing them, then he laid on the ground for a long period of time as he stared up into the sky, looking for all the world as if he were dead. The torturing was already bad enough, but what made it worse?

The look in Hidan's eye when he finally took their life.

He _enjoyed_ it.

As if it were the best drug in the world, and he was practically overdosing on it.

Even Kabuto hadn't been able to hide his revulsion at the sight, and that night when they sent Hidan and Kabuto to collect fish from a nearby river, Karin took her chance to make her case.

"Yes, we are." Kane spoke with finality. He really didn't want to continue this conversation any longer, the redhead had been pleading with him to get rid of Hidan for nearly twenty minutes.

"But he's-"

"I don't _care,_ Karin."

"How can you not care?! It's disgusting!"

"I don't care what Hidan does, or how he does it. He could _eat_ the person for all I care. So long as he proves useful and doesn't do anything that could piss off the major villages, I don't care. I'll continue to use him, until he proves worthless. Then, and only then, will I dispose of him."

Karin looked bitter at his words, "Only when he proves worthless, huh? Is that what you'll do to me, too?"

Kane's eyes narrowed at the girl, knowing her thoughts drifted to when he pulled her blood from her body.

"I had no choice."

"I know that! I might still be mad, but I'm _not_ stupid. I get why you did it, and I'll get over it... Eventually."

"Then what's the issue?"

Karin sighed, "Kane, sometimes I just can't figure you out. What you just said, it made me think... Would he get rid of me, too, if I became a burden? And you know what? I wasn't sure what the answer was. And that scares me, Kane."

Kane turned his focus back to the fire pit in front of him.

He didn't answer her question, and that only stressed the girl out even further.

Footsteps could be heard and the girl turned to see Kabuto and Hidan walking into camp. Kabuto gave a friendly wave and his usual fake smile, while Hidan followed close behind and sneered at her, his shirt thrown over his shoulder leaving him bare and dripping wet, six fish attached to his scythe.

As they began to cook and eat the food, Hidan broke the awkward silence.

"Kane-sama?"

Kane turned to look at Hidan blankly.

"That thing we discussed... Have you decided?" Hidan looked so hopeful, like an academy student asking a ninja if they could wear their headband. Kabuto and Karin shared a look before looking at Kane curiously, wondering what that conversation had been.

Kane didn't want to, it was freaky if he were being honest, but still. Hidan hadn't been too pleased to hear he had to limit who he could kill, and Kane didn't want to drive away a new ally so soon after recruiting them. He could do this one thing for Hidan, no matter how screwed up it was.

Kane shrugged, "Do as you like."

Hidan jumped for joy as he let out a joyous cry. He quickly grabbed his scythe by the blades, tossed it slightly and twirled it mid air. Kabuto and Karin ducked as the blades flew over their head, Kabuto smiling as Karin shouted in angry protest.

Then, Hidan took the scythe and sliced himself in the stomach.

Karin's eyes widened as Kabuto looked interested. Hidan tossed his scythe onto the ground before quickly laying down and facing the sky, the exact same prone position he took earlier that day during his ritual.

"I'm ready, Kane-sama!"

Kane said nothing, and seconds later Hidan began groaning and shaking in pain, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

"So good..." He mumbled as he grew lost in the ecstasy of his pain.

Karin whirled around to face Kane and gave him a disgusted look.

"You're boiling his blood?!"

Kane nodded as he continued staring into the flames, his face a neutral mask.

Karin looked back at the trembling form of Hidan and she felt bile rise in her throat.

"This is so messed up."

Kabuto laughed.

* * *

"He calls himself Pain." Hidan told Kane, and Kane raised an eyebrow.

"And you don't know anything about his abilities? Anything at all?"

"Ehhh, I've never actually met the guy, but I think-"

Kane waved him off, and Hidan raised his eyebrows.

"Kane-sama?"

"I'm not interested in maybe's. If you don't know for sure, don't bother explaining."

Hidan nodded.

He may not know anything useful about the leader, 'Pain', but Hidan had told him plenty about another member. _Deidara._ The blonde that was Sasori's partner.

Kane knew _everything_ about Deidara, now. Even about his C4, and his apparent dream to one day die in a huge explosion, by blowing himself and everything around him up.

He learned everything there was to know about Kisame, too. According to Hidan though, there wasn't much known about Zetsu or Itachi, and that went for most of the members. The only thing he knew for sure about Itachi was he used the 'Mangekyou Sharingan'. Kane wasn't sure what that was, and the thought bothered him.

He assumed it was that strange, shuriken-like Sharingan Itachi had used on him back when he put him in that Genjutsu. What had the jutsu been called again?

 _'Tsukuyomi.'_

That was the one.

He also found out that the leader's partner was a woman with blue hair. That was all Hidan knew, as she seemed to stay hidden and by Pain's side most of the time.

Kane sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. They were at a local pub that was situated on the road, some ways away from Yuga. It was a good rest stop, and Karin had _insisted_ they stop and get some quote _'real food'_.

Kane didn't see the problem. He'd eaten nothing but fish and ramen for the majority of his life.

Still, the girl insisted, and Kane acquiesced. Apparently she had brought along money from home when she left with him, and this would be the first opportunity for her to spend it.

Kane frowned at that thought. He never really had much need for money, but he could seriously go for some new ninja tools. He was running low on kunai, in particular.

He'd worry about it later.

They'd been traveling for some time now, since defeating Kakuzu and recruiting Hidan. There had been no word thus far on the Akatsuki, and Kabuto had been consistently disappearing to Kami knows where to find information for them.

He'd found plenty, but none of it was heartening.

Apparently, Akatsuki already extracted at least five biju. They might have even gotten six already. That meant over half of the demons were gone, and more effort would be put forth towards catching the remaining ones.

Kane had killed two Akatsuki members and recruited a third. That meant there were still a _lot_ left, and he hadn't even learned anything about the leader besides his alias.

The fact that this leader could apparently keep all these S-Ranked Missing Ninja in line concerned Kane, and he'd be a fool to deny it. He should've lost to Sasori, _twice,_ and he had been pushed to using his trump card as a last resort against Kakuzu.

And this 'Pain' could keep all of these ninja in line with his mere presence.

Kane needed to find out more about this guy, and _fast._

"Kabuto." Kane spoke up as the man sat down. he'd been gone for several hours now, and now the three were only missing Karin, who was still gushing and trying to decide on a meal for the night.

"Kane-kun."

"Any news?"

"Nothing you'd be interested in."

Kane glared at the table. It'd been nearly a month, and they'd made no progress. He needed to do something before the other biju were captured. He needed more information.

Kane glared at Kabuto, and the man gave a confused smile in return.

"Alright, Kabuto..."

"Alright, what, Kane-kun?" He asked in confusion.

"Take me to Orochimaru."

* * *

End of Chapter 55


	58. Chapter 56

The man chuckled lowly as his yellow eyes penetrated Kane with their gaze.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, face to face, Kane-kun." The Sannin purred.

Kane said nothing as he stared at the main emotionlessly, Hidan and Karin standing behind him.

Kabuto stood next to his master, whom was situated in a chair in the dark room inside one of his bases. They were deep in Rice Country, home of the Hidden Sound Village.

"Both Sasori and Kakuzu. You've been quite busy, I see." Orochimaru hummed, a vile smirk on his face as he continued to eye Kane up and down, as if he were looking at an object inside a store he wished to purchase.

"You've been keeping tabs on me for years, is that right, Orochimaru?" Kane drawled out. The snake Sannin was... Different, from people like Sasori or Kakuzu. The man was too sure of himself; as if he knew Kane couldn't possibly kill him.

It put Kane on edge slightly.

Orochimaru chuckled, "But of course. Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox, last remaining member of the Sanguis clan, butcherer of Naibu, defeater of Sasori, murderer of Kakuzu... Your list of feats continues to grow, Kane-kun, and it's mighty impressive." The man praised, and for some reason it felt hollow to Kane.

"And you've even managed to _recruit_ an Akatsuki member..." Orochimaru's voice slithered as his eyes trailed over to Hidan, "That's quite impressive, too."

Hidan sneered, "Bastard."

Orochimaru chuckled, "Hidan-san. It's been quite a while."

Hidan looked annoyed, "Not long enough, bastard. Man, I'd really been hoping you'd dropped dead somewhere."

Orochimaru's smile widened slightly, "Now now Hidan, is that anyway to talk to an old friend? We have a lot in common, you know... You and I are both traitors to the Akatsuki now."

"We got less in common than you think. You're ugly, and I'm beautiful, bastaaaard!" Hidan mocked and Orochimaru chuckled at his antics.

His eyes trailed back to Kane, "You and I are a lot alike too, Kane-kun."

Kane raised a single eyebrow, "Is that so?"

Orochimaru nodded with a sinister smirk, "We're both enemies of the Akatsuki. We're both traitors to Konoha. We both abandoned that pathetic village in search of something greater. And now, we're allies, too."

"I haven't agreed to anything yet." Kane spoke drily.

Kabuto frowned at Kane slightly, and Karin continued to glance between Kane and Orochimaru worriedly. It was clear the girl was _not_ comfortable.

Karin took a moment to realize the exact situation she found herself in.

 _'This bastard, Hidan... That bastard, Kabuto... and THE Orochimaru. Kami, Kane... You're some kind of magnet for terrible ninja!"_

Why had she agreed to come along again?!

Orochimaru _laughed._ For reasons Karin could not understand, Orochimaru found Kane _funny._

"Very well, Kane-kun! Allow me to state the terms, then."

Kane nodded, and Kabuto smiled as Hidan looked annoyed.

"I'll tell you everything I know about the leader, Pain. I'll also let you in on a little secret... Akatsuki have collected six Biju so far, and they know the location of the seventh."

"Who's the seventh?"

Orochimaru smiled, "The three tails. And _I_ also know where it is."

Kane's eyes widened as he realized where this was going. Orochimaru's smiled turned wicked in response.

"That's right, Kane-kun. I know where Akatsuki will strike next!"

Kane stepped forward, "Where is it? I know it's in Water Country, but I never learned _where_ exactly."

Orochimaru continued to smile at him, "Now now, Kane-kun. If I told you, you'd probably run off and wait for them there, am I right?"

Kane said nothing as he began glaring at the snake.

"Instead, why not wait here, with me? Together, when we receive word that Akatsuki have begun making their move, we shall go to Water Country and kill the Akatsuki members. A perfect alliance, no?"

Kane relaxed his posture slightly as he returned to staring emotionlessly, "Why do you want to kill the Akatsuki?"

Orochimaru chuckled, "Truthfully, Kane-kun?"

He nodded.

"I couldn't care less about them."

Everyone in the room, sans Kabuto, looked surprised at the admission.

"Ehhh? Now you aren't making sense, bastard." Hidan piped up.

Orochimaru chuckled once again, "I'd love to see Akatsuki fall apart. It would bring me great joy to know they failed in their task, and it would bring me even greater pleasure to know I had a hand in it. That being said, whether they actually succeed or not, in the end, makes no difference to me and my goals."

"And what are your goals?" Kane asked.

"That would be telling, wouldn't it, Kane-kun?" Orochimaru's eyes held an evil glint to them.

"If you don't care, then why do this? What, just because you'd get some sort of sick pleasure out of helping me?" Kane asked as he began glaring at the man again. His words made no sense at all.

"I want something in return for helping you, Kane-kun." Orochimaru purred.

 _Now_ they were getting somewhere.

"What do you want?" Kane asked in a no-nonsense manner.

"It's really quite simple... There is an enemy of mine that I wish to face in battle one day. _Soon._ I'll be honest, Kane-kun, I'm not so sure I can defeat them by myself." Orochimaru's smile turned practically predatory.

"I want you to help me defeat them, when the time comes."

Kane's eyes narrowed, "That's it? You want me to help you fight someone?"

Orochimaru nodded as he chuckled lowly.

 _'Something here is completely fishy. He's not telling me everything.'_

"Who?"

"Does it matter, Kane-kun? All you need to do is help me defeat them. With your... Abilities, it should be no trouble at all. After all, all you need to do is draw blood."

That confirmed it for Kane. He knew, from that talk he had with Kabuto years ago before he found Yuka-sensei, that Orochimaru was well aware of his unique Kekkei Genkai. Now, though, he knew Orochimaru knew _everything._

Well, everything except for whatever he'd learned while he was in Water Country or with Yuka-sensei, that is.

"So I help you fight a strong opponent, and in return you'll tell me everything you know, _and_ tell me the moment the Akatsuki go after the Isobu?" Kane clarified as he continued watching him.

Orochimaru nodded, "Indeed, Kane-kun. As I said, we are the perfect allies for each other, no?"

Karin didn't like this. She didn't like this one bit.

"Alright, Orochimaru. We'll work together, for now."

Orochimaru gave him a wicked grin in response, "Excellent decision, Kane-kun."

Kane turned and began leaving the room. Karin was quick to follow, and Hidan held back for only a moment to sneer at the snake Sannin one last time, before following as well.

Kabuto glanced down at Orochimaru as the door closed behind the three, "Orochimaru-sama... Kane-kun won't simply wait around after the Akatsuki make their move. He won't stay with us until we finally decide to make our move. He'll continue hunting the Akatsuki."

Orochimaru nodded, "Yes. He won't uphold his end of the deal, if it means he has to stay here and wait around for us."

"Orochimaru-sama, who is this ninja you want to fight? And do you really need help defeating them?"

He chuckled in response, "No. I don't think I do. I should be more than capable of handling it myself. As for who they are... That would be telling, wouldn't it?"

"You still haven't told me everything about this plan... I don't understand, Orochimaru-sama. Kane-kun is here, right where we want him, and last week you said-"

"Yes. One week ago was the date. I can now collect a new body whenever I please." Orochimaru cut him off.

Kabuto nodded, "It's amazing how different you are this time around, Orochimaru-sama. That Uchiha you used for your new body was truly perfect for you. Last time three years passed, you were sickly and struggled to even stand on your own. Now, you're in perfect health."

Orochimaru snickered, "Yes. The best part is I don't even need a new body anytime soon. I could keep this one for the next sixty or seventy years before I needed to transfer. And so long as the next body is a good fit, It'll be the same result. From now on, I simply have to make sure the body I use is healthy, active and, preferably, has a unique Kekkei Genkai."

Kabuto shook his head at a loss, "Orochimaru-sama... Kane is here, and you could take his body at any moment. Is he _not_ the one you are after? I thought, with your interest in him, that he was the one you chose to be your next host."

Orochimaru's smile turned dark, "Kabuto, Kabuto, Kabuto... There are things even you don't know. Things that can change _everything._ "

Kabuto looked confused and slightly concerned, "Orochimaru-sama?"

"I figured out a piece of information, many years ago... A _vital_ piece of information. Something that, perhaps, nobody in the world knows other than a small, handful of people."

Kabuto's eyes widened as he looked at his master curiously.

Orochimaru stared at the door Kane left through, "Something that, perhaps, only the Fourth Hokage knows about."

The two fell into a deep silence for several moments before Orochimaru continued, "We need to proceed with the plan immediately, Kabuto. It's not the ideal situation, but who knows... Perhaps this could prove fortuitous."

Kabuto nodded, "As you command, Orochimaru-sama."

As the medic ninja began walking away, Orochimaru chuckled lowly to himself.

Everything was falling into place.

* * *

Shikamaru jumped as something slammed into the table in front of him. He glanced up to find a familiar face glaring down at him, and his mouth dropped open in shock.

"I thought you were supposed to be good friends with Naruko Namikaze?"

Shikamaru sat up from his lazy nap in front of a Shougi board and sighed loudly, "What're you doing here, Temari?"

The girl took a seat across from him and crossed her legs, "I'm here on a mission."

Shikamaru scoffed, "Again?"

She nodded, "Again."

"What-"

"I demanded Gaara give me a mission, any mission, that sent me here." Temari cut him off.

Shikamaru's eyebrow raised, "You demanded something from the Kazekage?"

Temari scoffed, "He may be the Kazekage but he's still my little brother."

"Right, because you were so good at controlling him several years ago." Shikamaru rolled his eyes and the girl looked offended.

"Things were different back then!"

"And now you can do what you want. Man, what a drag... So why did you demand a mission here?"

Temari stared at him in the eye for several seconds, "To see you."

Shikamaru looked surprised, "To see me?"

She nodded slowly and sadly, "I heard about your sensei."

Shikamaru tensed and scowled down at the table, "So I'm guessing you also heard about-"

"About how you blamed and yelled at Naruko Namikaze for your failed revenge mission? Yeah, I heard about that."

His scowl deepened, "-about how _Kane freaking Sanguis_ not only saved Hidan, but recruited him too?" He finished his earlier statement.

"You know, you're not the person I thought you were." Temari stated out of the blue and Shikamaru looked surprised at the turn in conversation.

"What?"

Temari closed her eyes as she crossed her arms, "I respected you after you beat me in the preliminaries during the Chunin Exams. You were a ninja worth noting, not only for your intelligence, but also for the words you spoke to me during our battle."

Shikamaru kept quiet as he listened to the girl.

"You kept saying things like 'A Leaf Shinobi never backs down, no matter how much they want to.' All while bitching and moaning about how troublesome it was to fight a girl. It was cute, to be honest."

Shikamaru blushed slightly as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"And yet, now I hear you're playing a different tune to your song."

Shikamaru's blush faded as he looked at her in confusion.

"I hear, nowadays instead of talking about what it means to be a Shinobi, all you talk about is getting revenge."

"What? You-"

"You've become obsessed with revenge. I don't even live here and this is the first time I've spoken to you, and yet I've heard the rumors. That's a pretty big giveaway, and I don't really need to hear your side of the story to know it's probably true."

Shikamaru glared and scowled, "Shutup. You don't know what you're talking about. You-"

"You think I haven't lost people? I have. I've lost plenty. Yet you don't see me thirsting for revenge."

Temari glared at him harshly, and he closed his mouth.

"We're _ninja_ , this is life for us. You're going to have to accept that. The boy I remembered would have been appalled to know he became obsessed with _revenge,_ of all things. Stop being an idiot."

Temari stood up.

"I need to give this to the Hokage, but I'll be back, and we can talk about this some more. You can vent or do whatever it is that smart but thick skull of yours needs to do to get it out of your system."

As Temari walked away, Shikamaru stared at her back in complete shock.

What just happened?!

 _'Dad, why did you marry such a high strung woman like mom?'_

 _His father laughed, 'Shikamaru, sometimes you need somebody like that to keep you in line and make sure you're on the right track in life. You'll understand when you're older.'_

As Shikamaru continued to stare at Temari, he thought, he might've finally understood what his father had meant back then.

 _'Women... Troublesome creatures.'_

Shikamaru realized a fond smile had crept up onto his face.

* * *

Sasuke nodded at his team, and Sai he added mentally, as the blonde firecracker beamed at him and Kakashi eye smiled.

"I never really thought about that, bastard!"

"That's because you're an idiot."

The girl glared at him as he smirked, and Kakashi cut in, "Now now, let's not fight. We need to focus; Sasuke brings up a valid argument."

"I'll tell my dad! He already agreed to send us on the mission to find Kane, so there's no way he'd say no if I asked!" The girl bounced on her feet in excitement.

Sai continued to watch with a small smile on his face.

"I still don't fully understand, but I hope that, perhaps, meeting Kane-san will help me learn." Sai spoke and the three others smiled at him.

"Yeah! Don't worry, prick-kun, you'll figure it out! Just like your brother would've wanted you to!" Naruko beamed at him and Sai smiled his fake smile back.

 _'Perhaps, I can learn what it truly means to have, and fight for, loved ones.'_

He knew Danzo wouldn't approve, and yet, Sai found he didn't care.

This team had changed him.

"Alright! I'm gonna go see my dad and tell him to give us the next mission to hunt down Akatsuki, just like you said bastard!"

Sasuke nodded with a smirk.

Both encounters they'd had with Akatsuki, Kane had shown up. Not only had he shown up, but he'd _fought._

He was hunting the Akatsuki, Sasuke had told his team. Which meant finding him would be a lot easier than they thought.

It was simple, really.

Find the Akatsuki, find Kane.

* * *

"Rinnegan..." Kane mumbled to himself as he sat in front of a riven, consistently manipulating the water into the air.

He'd been with Orochimaru for nearly three weeks now, and the man had told him all he knew.

About Pain. About Konan. About their real identities, and how they were connected to Jiraiya of the Sannin.

About the Rinnegan.

Orochimaru didn't know exactly how the strongest eye doujutsu in existence worked, all he knew was that apparently it had the power to push and pull anything away from it.

It was impressive, but less so than Kane had thought it would be. It sounded like a gimmick.

His gimmick was better.

Kane shook his head at his thoughts. There he went again, acting all cocky and overconfident. The last thing he needed was to let his big head get in the way when he was fighting somebody like _that._

Still, Kane knew.

He'd defeat Pain.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Mikoto Uchiha asked her husband Fugaku with concern.

He nodded in response, "It needs to be done, and as the leader of the Uchiha Clan it falls upon me to solve this matter."

"Alright. Just make sure you're careful."

Fugaku smiled at his wife tenderly. Kami, but he loved her.

"I will."

He'd already cleared it with the Hokage, and Minato had already cleared it with the Mizukage. He was heading to Water Country tomorrow morning with a squadron of elite Jounin Uchiha. He had received word; the body had been found, and the Sharingan was still intact.

Several years ago, two Uchiha went missing. The Uchiha clan kept a close eye on _every_ member, because the Sharingan was a much coveted bloodline by other ninja in the world. The two Uchiha were never found, and it was a stain on the Uchiha name to lose two ninja and not even know what happened to them.

They'd found out what happened to one of them, at least.

Orochimaru of the Sannin attacked the village, and flaunted his brand new Sharingan eyes.

Clearly, the man had been responsible for the incident.

However, a local leader of a small town called Kaziga inside Wave Country contacted the Uchiha Clan, claiming to have found a body buried in the woods outside the town. The corpse was decayed and rotting, but the eyes had yet to be afflicted.

The eyes of an Uchiha.

As the leader of the Uchiha Clan, it fell on Fugaku to settle this. He would go to Wave Country, allow the local leader to curry favor with the Uchiha Clan - which was precisely why he'd informed them, he assumed - and then dispose of the eyes. Then, he'd return.

Simple.

It was his duty, and he'd carry it out.

He was heading for Water Country.

* * *

"The Isobu has been found. It's in Water Country, and the Akatsuki have begun heading for it. As far as we know, the Mizukage is not aware of any of this. It's out of our jurisdiction, but I've decided to make an exception. You _must_ try not to allow any Mizu Shinobi discover your presence. It would complicate things, both for you and for myself. I don't believe Mei would be happy to hear I was sending ninja out on missions into her territory."

Naruko, Sasuke, Kakashi and Sai nodded as they stood before the Fourth Hokage.

"We don't have much information, but what we _do_ know is that one of the ninja heading for the Three Tails is the same one that attacked the Kazekage."

Naruko growled at this and Kakashi put a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

Minato stared at them seriously.

"We also have reason to believe the Nine Tails Jinchuriki will appear, which is the reason I'm making such a serious breach and letting you four head into Water Country. The four of you have not one, but _two_ missions... Defeat the Akatsuki, and capture the Nine Tails."

The four nodded again.

"One last thing... Fugaku Uchiha and a squadron of Uchiha will be in the area on a diplomatic mission of their own. They left this morning. Try not to get too close to them, as they will almost certainly be trailed by Mizu Shinobi that are watching them. Fugaku's team will be heading to a small town called Kaziga. Kaziga isn't too terribly close to the location of the Isobu, but just be aware that you need to avoid that general vicinity for the duration of your missions."

The four nodded once again.

"You leave immediately. Dismissed."

As the four made their way out of the office, they each felt the same thing.

Determination.

They were heading for Water Country.

* * *

"Are you ready to go, Kane-kun?" Orochimaru purred as the boy shifted his backpack strap slightly and nodded. Orochimaru was accompanied by Kabuto and two Sound Anbu, and Kane was followed by Hidan and Karin. The seven ninja were traveling together, and Kane couldn't help but realize just how powerful the group they had truly was.

Orochimaru had received word. The Isobu had been spotted, and the Akatsuki were already making their move.

Deidara was the one tasked to capture it. Kane knew everything there was to know about the blonde haired Akatsuki member thanks to Hidan. Orochimaru also gave Kane his info, but it wasn't anything Hidan hadn't already told him.

Hidan cracked his neck and Karin gave him a grossed out look at the noise.

Kabuto smiled as he fell in step, slightly flanking Orochimaru as the snake lead the charge. The two Sound Anbu fell into position as well, and Kane began to follow with Karin and Hidan flanking him.

The Akatsuki were quick. Kane had no doubt that they would be the first to arrive. He wondered if they'd get there in time to interrupt the demon extraction process. Hidan had told him all about that, including how the less members they had to complete the process the longer it took.

What would he do if they got there in time and the Akatsuki failed to capture the Isobu? They'd have to come get it sometime, so Kane could essentially just wait for them to come. But would he do that? He didn't like the idea of letting the Akatsuki decide the terms on their engagements. Kane had been the one choosing the battles, and so far it had worked out fairly well.

He supposed he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

For now, he had to focus on the current goal.

He glanced at the group he was traveling with and was once again struck with the realization that the group was _deadly._

And they were coming for the Akatsuki.

Kane smirked.

They were heading for Water Country.

* * *

End of Chapter 56


	59. Chapter 57

"You have your orders. Dismissed!" Minato barked, and the ninja before him departed immediately.

Minato leaned back in his chair and glared at his desk, crossing his arms in frustration.

He knew he was overreacting. There was no need to send in another squad. They could handle themselves, and odds were they wouldn't appreciate his interfering like this. And yet...

His instincts were screaming at him.

Something was going to go terribly, terribly wrong... He could _feel_ it.

Minato hadn't survived a war by ignoring his instincts.

He prayed that, for the first time, they were proven wrong.

* * *

"I see now where Kabuto gets it from." Kane spoke drily as Orochimaru gave him an amused look.

"There's no need to be so cold, Kane-kun. I'm sure everything will work out perfectly in the end, just as it did with your fight with Kakuzu."

Kane scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Do as you like."

Orochimaru chuckled lowly, "After you kill the Akatsuki, you know where to find me."

And with those parting words, Orochimaru, Kabuto and the two Sound Anbu departed, heading in a separate direction.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Karin groaned, "Of course they're going off to do their own thing. I should've seen that coming a mile away."

"Ehhh, I'm glad the bastards are gone. Kane-sama and I don't need them, they'll only get in the way."

Karin frowned, for once hoping her sicko traveling companion was right.

"Come on, let's go." Kane commanded and the three began walking once again.

Orochimaru had suddenly declared he and his group wouldn't be aiding them in the battle against the Akatsuki, saying there was a matter they needed to resolve instead. Upon defeating the Akatsuki, Kane, Karin and Hidan were to rendezvous with them again before traveling back to Sound.

 _'Tch! Whatever. Let Orochimaru and Kabuto go deal with this "problem". The three of us should be more than enough for the Akatsuki.'_

* * *

The sound of a body collapsing onto the floor filled the air.

"Ahhh! Thank goodness! My back was starting to hurt... Ow..." Tobi moaned as he began stretching.

Pain nodded, pleased as they finally finished their mission, "The Isobu has been captured. We now have seven of the biju. The only ones remaining are the Eight and Nine Tails. Good work, everyone."

"Speaking of the Nine Tails..." White Zetsu spoke up calmly.

Pain turned his eyes towards the plant creature, "What about it?"

"We've confirmed that the Nine Tails Jinchuriki was responsible for killing Kakuzu. We've also discovered that not only is HIdan still alive, he's betrayed the Akatsuki. Apparently, he's decided to throw his lot in with the Jinchuriki." Black Zetsu finished.

Pains eyes trailed over to Tobi, and his single Sharingan eye was spinning dangerously as he stared at Pain.

Madara was _not_ pleased.

"Itachi. Kisame. The Nine Tails is your responsibility. Why have you not captured it yet?"

Kisame gave him a confused, annoyed look, "We don't even know where it is. Don't look at us; the Jinchuriki has killed both Sasori and Kakuzu and yet we still don't know anything about him. Maybe Zetsu should do a better job of gathering information for us."

Pain closed his eyes, "Zetsu. I want you to find out everything you can on the Nine Tails Jinchuriki, including where it's at."

"Understood." White Zetsu practically groaned.

"We need to make preparations for the Eight and Nine Tails. They will be the hardest to capture so far. Deidara, you and Tobi start heading back."

"Alright, hnn."

"Yay!"

"Dismissed." Pain declared before vanishing.

Quickly, everyone else disappeared as well, leaving only Deidara and Tobi remaining.

"Come on, let's get moving, hnn." Deidara said as he began walking away.

"Yes senpai!" Tobi sing-songed, and Deidara sighed in annoyance.

* * *

"They're holding the body outside the town, not too far! Maybe a twenty minute walk if we keep a steady pace!" The short man said as he trembled, staring up at Fugaku.

Fugaku continued to glared, "And why isn't the body being held at the town like you said?"

The man continued shaking as he stammered, "Ahh, you see, we uh, we didn't want to risk... You know, somebody attacking us, because they wanted to body. It's an Uchiha, after all, and we aren't equipped to protect it from ninja! So we thought, er, if someone attacked us to take it, we'd rather they didn't attack the town too, you know?"

Fugaku closed his eyes in annoyance as he motioned for the man to lead the way, and the short guy was quick to motion for them to follow as he began heading down a road leading outside of town.

Fugaku, the five Uchiha he brought along with him, and the three Mizu Shinobi escorting them began following the man.

Fugaku shared a glance with several of his companions, and he knew they felt it too.

Something wasn't right.

* * *

The four Konoha Shinobi stared as they hid, keeping silent.

Of _course_ they would cross paths with _another_ group of Mizu Jounin. Apparently, they were _everywhere_ in the area. The Mizukage was obviously searching for something.

Naruko fidgeted slightly before Sasuke gave her a look and she stilled. They were waiting for the group to leave before they started moving again. They couldn't risk being seen, and going around yet another group would take too long, they were already way off course having altered their path because of other Mizu Shinobi. They'd just have to hope they left soon.

They couldn't risk being seen, it would slow them down even further, and seriously complicate everything.

Naruko grit her teeth.

 _'Everytime... We've been too late everytime! We were too late to save Gaara, we were too late to catch Kane the first time, we were too late to help Team Ten and we were too late to catch Kane the second time... We've always been too late! We won't be too late this time, damnit!'_

But as the blonde continued to watch the Mizu Shinobi search the area, she felt dread build in her chest.

She prayed she was right this time.

* * *

 _ **'Clank!'**_

The sound of a blade colliding with the Earth filled the area, and Deidara glared as Tobi looked back and forth.

"So I guess it really is true. You've betrayed the Akatsuki."

Hidan smirked as he held his scythe, "Ehhh? I never gave two shits about that dumb organization, or any of you for that matter. I only care about Jashin-sama!"

"Hidan-senpai! Es no bueno! You shouldn't do things like that!" Tobi cried as he flailed his arms around.

"Who the hell are you?" Hidan asked as he raised an eyebrow at Tobi.

"Ahh! Where are my manners! My name is Tobi! Tobi is a good boy! It's nice to meet you, Hidan-senpai! No, wait, you're a traitor! Bad Hidan-senpai! Bad!" Tobi said as he wiggled his index finger left and right at him.

Kane continued to watch the interactions with amusement.

"Karin, is there anyone else around?" Kane asked the redhead beside him.

"No. Just these two." She shook her head.

"Hidan, you don't know this guy?"

"Ehhh, no way Kane-sama. This bastard's obviously a new member. Probably a replacement for my partner Kakuzu. Or maybe Sasori." Hidan responded before pulling out his trinket and praying to Jashin.

Kane nodded. An unknown variable was never a good thing, but Kane still felt confident. He knew everything there was to know about Deidara, which means he was coming into this confrontation with more Intel than he'd ever had before in his previous encounters with Akatsuki.

"Deidara-senpai! What was Sasori like?! I never got to meet him!" Tobi asked as he began crying anime tears, turning his back on the three Missing Ninja before him.

"Tobi, now's not the time."

"But senpai! I want-"

 _'Schlink!'_

The sound of Hidan's blade slicing the air filled the area as the weapon passed right through Tobi's stomach. Tobi twitched slightly before falling to the ground lifelessly.

Kane stared at Tobi dispassionately.

 _'I can't feel him. He didn't bleed. Hidan didn't hit him.'_

"Ehhhh? What an idiot. Deidara! Come back here you bastard, let me mess you up!" Hidan screeched with a cackle as the blonde took to the skies on his clay bird.

Kane continued to watch Tobi, and was unsurprised to see him slowly get to his feet. Karin's eyes widened as she took a small step back behind Kane.

"Owww..." Tobi mumbled as he rubbed his head.

Hidan turned slightly and his eyes widened, "Eh? You're alive? Wait! Are you immortal too?" He asked excitedly.

"Immortal? Ah! No way senpai! Tobi isn't immortal! Tobi is just Tobi!" He denied as he waved his hands frantically.

Tobi screeched and jumped away as a torrent of water slammed into the ground he was previously standing on. Kane continued to stare at him as he formed a tendril out of the water and began trying to slam him with it.

Tobi continuously dodged the water tendril, and started laughing as he did so.

"Eep!"

"Oh!"

"Olé!"

Kane couldn't help but be amused by the guy.

 _"Yeehaw!"_ Hidan screamed as he threw his scythe into the sky towards Deidara, the blade slicing into the clay bird and latching onto it. Hidan retracted the scythe and began flying towards Deidara.

 _'Shit! I'm not far enough to use my C4 yet! I can't let this bastard cut me! I know how his power works!'_ Deidara thought to himself as he began throwing clay bombs down at the former Akatsuki member.

They exploded right onto him, but he kept flying at Deidara as he rubbed his eyes, groaning in pain.

Hidan flew slightly above his scythe and unattached in from the bird as he landed on its back, "That hurt, ya bastard!"

"Get _off!"_ Deidara yelled back as he threw another clay bomb at the immortal.

Kane's eyes trailed off from the masked member and towards the sky as he watched an explosion take place on top of the bird.

"Ahhh, Deidara's art is really pretty!" Tobi spoke from right next to Kane, and Kane recoiled before attempting to slam another torrent of water into the masked man.

 _That just happened._

Kane growled as he began glaring at Tobi, taking him seriously for the first time.

 _'Schlink!' 'Schlink!' 'Schlink!'_

Deidara continued to dodge and weave, his eyes showing panic and fear as Hidan continuously tried to cut him with his scythe.

 _'I've got to get this guy away from me! I can't use my C4 with him so close!'_

Deidara threw his hands out and the mouths from his palms spat out clay, the clay staying attached by a thin tendril from inside the mouths.

Each clay formed an entity that looked almost like a person, and they began swinging and punching Hidan.

Hidan completely ignored each punch and kick as he tried to walk closer to Deidara, struggling as one of the clay warriors began to grapple with him.

Hidan began to fall off the clay bird, but as he did so he swung his scythe and knicked Deidara in the leg.

Deidara's eyes widened as he watched Hidan smirk, falling towards the Earth.

 _'Shit! Shit! Shit! He got me! No, it's fine. Calm down. As soon as he starts preparing his ritual, I'll blow the asshole to smithereens with my C4!'_

Deidara tensed as he watched Hidan land on the Earth. The former Akatsuki member smirked as he leaned against his scythe lazily.

 _'What? Is... Is he not going to do his stupid ritual thing?'_

"Kane-sama! I got him!"

"I know." Kane said back as he continued to stare at Tobi, never even bothering to look at Deidara.

 _'What? What are they-'_

Deidara screamed as he felt intense pain scorch through his entire being. He fell off his clay bird and plummeted towards the Earth, landing with a loud _**'thunk!'**_

He cringed and writhed in agony as he felt like his insides were on _fire._

Tobi stared at Deidara curiously.

 _'Interesting.'_

"Ahhh!" Tobi screamed as a torrent of water slammed into him. Tobi writhed as he realized the water surrounding him had begun to heat up, too.

Then, Kane watched in shock as Tobi just... _Disappeared._

He glanced left and right before Karin spoke up, "Kane!"

He turned to face the girl.

"That guy you were fighting! He just appeared over there!" Karin yelled as she pointed across an entire lake, towards a treeline.

Kane glared towards the area Karin claimed Tobi to be, before turning his attention back to the still writhing Deidara. Hidan stood beside the blonde, and was casually kicking him in the side as he looked down with a bored face.

Kane approached alongside Karin, and placed his hands on his hips as he watched the man tremble.

"You... Bastard!" Deidara spat out through gritted teeth.

"Where are the rest of the Akatsuki members?" Kane asked boredly.

"Eat shit..." Deidara mumbled as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Kane glared, realizing the man had passed out from the pain.

"Ehhh, guess he's no use to us now." Hidan spoke.

Karin wasn't too sure about that. Perhaps they could interrogate him once he woke up. He almost assuredly had vital information. They could tie him up, make sure he couldn't escape. Maybe cut his arm or something, so if he somehow _did_ escape, Kane could just heat up his blood again. Maybe they could-

Deidara's body writhed and trembled for several seconds before stilling completely as Kane took his life.

Karin turned to him with wide eyes as Hidan smirked in pleasure, "Holy shit Kane!" The girl yelled out.

Kane shrugged.

Karin gaped.

Hidan cackled madly.

"Why did you do that?! We could've used him!" The redhead snapped.

"I have to deal with Kabuto. I have to deal with Orochimaru. I am _not_ dealing with an Akatsuki member, too." Kane spoke with annoyance.

"What?! That's such a stupid reason! You're the one who went to Orochimaru for information, and now you don't want to interrogate a captured member?!"

"Maybe it was rash, but..." Kane glared off to the side, as if he were pouting.

What the hell?

"Wait... Are you... Are you pouting?!"

Kane wouldn't look her in the eyes.

 _'What the... Why is he upset?! What could've possibly-'_

"Holy crap... Holy crap! Kane! You can't be serious! You're seriously pouting because that Tobi guy took you by surprise?!"

Kane began mumbling, "He could've killed me. It reminded me too much of Sasori."

Karin gaped with her mouth dropped open in disbelief.

 _'Unbelievable!'_

* * *

Tobi continued to stare out at the three ninja that just killed Deidara.

 _'Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails. I see now how you managed to defeat Sasori and Kakuzu. Water Manipulation, and of course, your clan's Blood Manipulation.'_

Tobi knew all about the Sanguis clan. He'd done research the moment he found out the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox was a Sanguis.

 _'The ability to heat up both water and blood. If someone bleeds around you, they're finished. That's quite a bloodline, Kane...'_

Tobi chuckled to himself as he slowly began disappearing.

He'd learned all he needed to know.

* * *

There were two men dressed as civilians holding a closed casket. They were standing in the middle of the road, and the local leader of Kaziga approached slowly. Fugaku followed close behind, and the rest of the escort stayed back.

The two men gently placed the casket onto the ground and took several steps back.

As Fugaku approached the casket, the man beside him began fidgeting even more than before.

Fugaku leaned down and opened the casket to reveal the rotting corpse inside.

His eyes immediately turned ferocious as he looked on in outrage, his Sharingan activated instinctually.

 _This was no Uchiha!_

Screams were heard behind him and Fugaku whirled around, as did the five Uchiha behind him. The other members of his clan immediately activated their respective Sharingan's as the three Mizu Shinobi collapsed onto the ground, each one with wounds on their backs.

Three Sound Shinobi stood behind the downed Mizu Shinobi, the ninja in the middle pushing his glasses up slightly as he smirked darkly.

Fugaku whirled around again to face the treacherous leader, and the man took several steps backwards as he began fleeing.

He didn't get far before Fugaku burned him alive.

Fugaku turned back towards the Sound Ninja and his eyes widened as his head snapped towards the ground.

He'd felt a vibration.

The other Uchiha members felt it too, and Fugaku was quick to call out to them.

 _"Move!"_

Three of the members jumped away, however two were caught tangled as the ground beneath them gave way, a giant snake bursting forth and swallowing them whole as they cried out.

Fugaku's eyes narrowed as he felt a presence behind him. He turned and found his eyes taking in the unwanted sight of Orochimaru standing before him, smirking.

"Orochimaru. I should've known."

"Fugaku-kun. How long has it been?"

Fugaku's Sharingan eyes began spinning threateningly.

Orochimaru chuckled lowly in response.

Kabuto smirked as the two Sound Anbu stepped forward slightly, the three Uchiha members tensing as the large snake began hissing and slithering ever so closer.

"Where is the corpse?" Fugaku demanded, and Orochimaru smirked.

"The corpse? Long gone, but you don't really care about that, do you? The eyes remain. Don't worry, I've taken good care of them. They're perfectly safe. Locked up nice and tight, where only I will ever find them."

"You set this whole thing up."

Orochimaru chuckled, "Indeed."

"Why?" Fugaku asked, his eyes narrowing.

Orochimaru grinned, "Why? For you, of course! I haven't seen you in so long, Fugaku-kun... I wished to catch up!"

Fugaku said nothing as he continued to glare, and Orochimaru continued to smirked.

Orochimaru took several steps forward, "Well then, shall we begin?"

* * *

Naruko glared down at the dead Akatsuki member.

They were too late.

 _Again._

She began growling as her canines elongated.

"Naruko! It's alright." Kakashi called to the girl, and she shook her head in anger.

"No! No it's not! We were too late! Why?! Why can't we just _find_ him! We haven't... We haven't even seen him since before he left! Why does it seem like we'll _never_ find him?!" The girl cried out in frustration as she balled her hands into fists.

"Naruko!" Kakashi snapped and the girl turned to face him, still glaring as her eyes flashed red momentarily.

Her eyes widened as she saw Sasuke on one knee, glancing at something on the ground as Pakkun sniffed.

When had he summoned Pakkun?

She glanced back at Kakashi and the man eye-smiled at her.

"I told you. It's _alright._ " He said before motioning towards a direction.

Naruko's eyes widened as she realized what he was gesturing towards.

 _Kane had left a trail._

* * *

End of Chapter 57

A/N:

Before somebody asks (Because I _**know**_ somebody will): "Why didn't Tobi just grab Kane and teleport out of there?"

Well, why didn't he just teleport to Naruto at literally _any point in the series_ and do the same thing?

We're just going to pretend he can't do that.


	60. Chapter 58

"Gahhh!" The Sound Anbu screamed as he burned alive, the Uchiha having fired off a Great Fireball.

The same Uchiha turned to find his comrade being swallowed whole by the large snake, but was unable to assist as he soon found himself engaged in combat with Kabuto.

Fugaku jumped away as Orochimaru's sword of Kusanagi came flying out of the Sannin's mouth. Orochimaru grabbed the sword and swung it around a few times for good measure.

"Isn't this nice, Fugaku-kun?" Orochimaru asked with a low chuckle as the sound of the second Sound Anbu's screams filled the air.

Fugaku glared harshly at the man before looking behind him. His glare deepened even further when he saw that two of his three remaining compatriots were now dead, the giant snake hissing as blood was coated around its mouth and fangs. His last companion was engaged in battle with Kabuto, and it was clear he wouldn't last much longer.

Fugaku's triple-tomoed, Sharingan eyes glared hatefully at a mirror image of his own eyes. Orochimaru chuckled as his own pair of Sharingan spun lazily.

"You're vile, Orochimaru. And I'll end you, as is my duty to Konoha, right here."

"Is that so? Well, I don't think you stand much of a chance as you are. What will you do, Fugaku-kun? Your Genjutsu you're so renowned for doesn't work on me, I have my own pair of Sharingan. Your Taijutsu may be good, but I'm better! And Ninjutsu?"

Orochimaru chuckled lowly.

"There are things I've learned over the decades you couldn't possibly understand, Fugaku-kun."

Fugaku snarled as he heard the sound of gurgling, and turned to see Kabuto had a kunai planted into the last Uchiha's neck.

"Come on. It's time to get serious, Fugaku-kun." Orochimaru declared as his smile turned wicked.

Fugaku's eyes narrowed, "So that's why you're here."

"Indeed. Show me, Fugaku-kun! Let me see what I came here for!"

Fugaku closed his eyes momentarily.

"I will defeat you, vermin."

Then, his eyes snapped open, revealing three dots followed by three curves, spiraling counter-clockwise.

Orochimaru shivered in pleasure as he stared at those eyes.

The eyes of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

* * *

"Ahhh but it would've been so fun to use him for the ritual! Man, that sucks." Hidan groaned, realizing he should've used Deidara's body for his ritual before Kane killed him, "Still, it was hilarious watching you kill him, Kane-sama! I knew you had a mean streak in you!"

Kane rolled his eyes at that, and Karin tensed up.

"There are people ahead. They're heading our way."

Kane nodded before glancing at Hidan, who nodded as well.

Several minutes later five Mizu Shinobi appeared in front of them.

"State your business here!" One of the Jounin barked, and another tensed as his eyes met Kane's.

He quickly began nudging his companion, the one who spoke, on the shoulder. He turned to face him and he pointed at Kane.

"That's Red Skin!"

Oh. Red Skin. Kane raised an eyebrow.

He'd honestly forgotten about that.

Hidan and Karin looked at him in confusion. The one who approached them first quickly backpedaled.

"Ah, my mistake. Allow us to get out of your way, Red Skin."

Kane nodded as they parted for the three of them, Hidan sneering at one of the smaller Jounin as they passed and smirking when he jumped in fear.

"Can't believe the Mizukage has us letting a Missing Ninja do whatever he wants..." One of them mumbled, but Kane ignored him.

Karin tensed suddenly, and Kane's eyes snapped to her.

Karin slowly turned around to look behind her in the direction they just came from, and then her eyes widened even further.

 _'Naru-chan...'_

Kane narrowed his eyes.

There's only one person in the world that ever evoked such a reaction from the Uzumaki.

 _'So Konoha is here, too... They're tracking the Akatsuki. Or maybe me. Or both. Regardless, that's pretty bold of them to be way out here in Water Country. That's out of their jurisdiction.'_

"Who's coming, Karin?" He asked, just because he wanted to see what the girl said.

"Huh?" Karin's eyes snapped to his own, and she guiltily looked away before replying, "Ah, It's... It's Naru-chan..."

Kane nodded, pleased she hadn't lied to him.

He threw an annoyed look in the direction they were coming from. He _really_ didn't want to deal with them.

His eyes landed on the Mizu Shinobi that had begun walking away, and he smirked.

Maybe he wouldn't have to.

* * *

The giant snake, nearly the size of the great Manda, roared in agony as it writhed, black flames coating its entire being as it burned alive.

 _'Incredible! Simply incredible! I knew the Mangekyou held great power, but to think it goes beyond simple Genjutsu!'_ Orochimaru thought to himself in delight as his summon disappeared in a _**'poof!'**_ of smoke.

"You truly are powerful, Fugaku-kun." Orochimaru snickered.

"Orochimaru! Your time has come!" Fugaku roared as he charged the snake Sannin.

The two engaged in close combat, and Orochimaru eyed Kabuto momentarily as the medic ninja nodded and jumped away.

 _'Good, Kabuto! Good!'_

Orochimaru hissed as a kunai dug deep into his stomach, before his entire body slowly turned to mud.

Fugaku suddenly found the Sword of Kusanagi slice through his stomach, before he disappeared in a _**'poof!'**_ of smoke.

Orochimaru's eyes widened as Fugaku appeared behind him, and he narrowly avoided a huge fireball from consuming him.

"You'll never trick these eyes, Orochimaru! You don't know what it means to truly wield the Sharingan, you are _no_ Uchiha!"

"You're right, I don't understand the power of the Mangekyou. Not yet." Orochimaru sneered before continuing, "But I will soon! Help me learn, Fugaku-kun!"

And as the Snake Sannin charged again, Fugaku closed his eyes.

* * *

"It's time." Kabuto said and Kane raised an eyebrow at the medic ninja.

"You know, when I agreed to this deal, I didn't expect for you to call in my end of the bargain so quickly."

"Well, Kane-kun, let's just say things happened." Kabuto snickered.

"Ehhh, who is it we're gonna go kill anyway?" Hidan asked as he dug into his ear with a finger.

"You'll find out soon enough. Come!" Kabuto ordered before taking off, the three Missing Ninja right behind him.

Karin glanced behind her.

 _'Naru-chan... Please hurry!'_

* * *

"We know you're there! Come out!" The Mizu Jounin announced, and Team Seven jumped out to stand before them. Three Mizu Shinobi stood before four Konoha Shinobi.

Kakashi stepped forward and put his hands up in a placating manner, "Now now. There's no need to cause trouble. We're just passing through."

"Passing through, eh? In Water Country? Whatever for?"

"We were on a diplomatic mission to Noodle Village." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

The three Mizu Shinobi looked at each other, suddenly unsure of themselves.

"Noodle Village eh?"

Kakashi nodded, and Naruko began fidgeting slightly behind him.

 _They were wasting time!_

"What was the mission?" Another Jounin asked.

"That's classified." Kakashi replied.

One of the Jounin narrowed his eyes, "Classified eh? Fine. Come with us! We'll take you to the Hidden Mist Village, and the Mizukage can sort this whole thing out. We can't let you just walk away from this."

The same ninja gasped as he suddenly fell to the ground unconscious, a blond haired girl standing behind him.

The two others jumped away in surprise, and both found themselves knocked out by Sai and Sasuke respectively.

The three faced Naruko with annoyance as her clone _ **'poofed!'**_ away.

"Naruko! You can't just-"

"We're wasting time! We need to catch up to Kane!" Naruko snapped before jumping away.

"Naruko!" Kakashi called out and the three followed after her.

Naruko's eyes flashed red before returning to cerulean.

Nobody was going to stop her from finding Kane this time.

 _Nobody._

* * *

As the three Missing Ninja and one Sound Ninja appeared, they each looked on in surprise at the monstrous creature before them.

A giant, skeletal-like creature made of pure red flames surrounded a man that was staring down Orochimaru, who looked worse for wear.

"Kane-kun! Excellent timing!" Orochimaru smirked as he turned back to face Fugaku.

Fugaku stared at Kane. _hard._

Kane glared right back.

"You are Kane Sanguis." Fugaku spoke, and it wasn't a question.

Kane said nothing as he raised an eyebrow towards Orochimaru, "This is the guy you spoke about? The one you wanted my help defeating?"

Orochimaru smirked, "Indeed, Kane-kun. Help me defeat him, and we'll call it even. In fact, I'll even help you find the remaining Akatsuki members!"

Kane never would've expected the person Orochimaru meant was _the Fugaku Uchiha._ Leader of the Konoha Police Corps. Patriarch of the Uchiha Clan. Well-known ninja throughout the elemental nations.

Sasuke's father.

Kane said nothing, but his eyes widened as he saw a thin trail of blood flow down Fugaku's closed eye.

His eye snapped open, and Orochimaru yelled as he became consumed by a black fire.

 _"Amaterasu!"_ Fugaku spoke, and Kane watched in shock as Orochimaru began burning alive.

Then, Orochimaru tilted his head back, opened his mouth, and stilled.

A hand burst forth from his mouth, and soon a copy of Orochimaru climbed out of the burning husk and jumped away.

"Ewww!" Karin said as she crinkled her nose in disgust.

Kane looked back towards Fugaku, and stared deeply into his eyes.

The same eyes, albeit slightly altered, that Itachi Uchiha had.

"You'll tell me all about that Sharingan Fugaku and Itachi use, too?" Kane asked the Sannin, and he smirked in reply.

"Of course."

Kane nodded, "Fine."

He turned to face Fugaku, who was breathing deeply but looked like he could go on fighting for quite a while.

It could've been quite interesting, fighting a user of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Too bad that jutsu, Amaterasu, caused him to bleed.

Kane began heating up Fugaku's blood, and despite being inside the Susanoo, Fugaku cried out as he fell onto his hands and knees and began shaking from the pain.

The Susanoo roared before it began quickly unraveling, until it disappeared completely. Fugaku couldn't maintain it when under so much stress and pain.

Kane watched dispassionately as Orochimaru's smile turned wicked.

"Excellent, Kane-kun."

Orochimaru launched himself at Fugaku, screaming as he did so.

 _"Give me your eyes, Fugaku Uchiha!"_

Fugaku was trembling, but he managed to lift his head to look forward.

Just in time to see Orochimaru's fingers dig into his right eye.

And pluck it out.

* * *

"We're almost there! Hurry!" The girl shouted to her two companions, and the boy nodded in response.

"I can see them! _Move!_ "

The three sped up.

* * *

Orochimaru looked at the eye in his hand in glee, completely entranced.

He smirked down at the still trembling Fugaku, one hand over the hole where his eye used to be.

"Kane-kun, you could just kill him, you know. There's no need to keep him alive." Orochimaru called out.

Kane scoffed at that.

As if he was going to kill a Konoha Shinobi, especially just because Orochimaru asked him nicely. Kane had done pretty well avoiding that exact type of scenario with all five of the major villages these past three years, and he had no intention of changing that.

He frowned momentarily.

 _'If I help Orochimaru, and Orochimaru kills Fugaku Uchiha, isn't that the same thing, really?'_

Pretty much, he realized. He couldn't let Fugaku die here, not unless he wanted to truly become an enemy of Konoha.

The thought that this was also Sasuke's father settled within his mind, and he crushed that thought away.

What did it matter?

He began cooling off Fugaku's blood, and just as he did so Orochimaru charged once again.

Fugaku's eye snapped open, prepared to activate the Susanoo as he felt the pain alleviate itself, but he didn't have to.

Right before Orochimaru reached him, another person jumped between them and kicked Orochimaru in the stomach, sending him flying.

 _"Leaf Hurricane!"_

As Orochimaru landed, everyone in the area looked on in surprise at the newcomers.

Rock Lee, Neji and Tenten had arrived.

Orochimaru smirked.

They didn't seriously think they could stop them, did they? Orochimaru could probably take them on _alone._

Well, so long as Fugaku was still down for the count.

He turned to glare at Kane, "Kane-kun, why did you release Fugaku? I saw you ease up on him there. He was going to activate his Susanoo again."

Kane raised an eyebrow.

 _'Susanoo... So that's what it's called.'_

"I can't let you kill him if I'm around to help, Orochimaru. I won't become an enemy of Konoha, especially not for someone like you."

Orochimaru sneered for a moment before relaxing and closing his eyes, "Very well, Kane-kun. Have it your way."

He looked down at the eye in his palm and smirked.

"I got what I needed anyway."

Kabuto looked shocked, "Orochimaru-sama?! You can't mean-"

"Indeed. Fall back for now. There's no point in fighting any further."

"But, Orochimaru-sama! You should collect both Sharingans!"

Orochimaru nodded, "And I shall. Eventually. Beggars can't be choosers, Kabuto. For now, this is more than enough."

Orochimaru jumped back to land beside Kane, and Kabuto was quick to follow him.

"Let us depart, Kane-kun."

Kane nodded.

"Kane-kun! Wait!" Rock Lee shouted as he jumped forward, Neji right beside him as Tenten helped Fugaku.

Kane raised an eyebrow at the pair before settling his eyes on Rock Lee, "Lee. It's been a long time."

He nodded in response, "Indeed, Kane-kun! I have grown into an even more splendid ninja! Have you grown as well?"

Kane also nodded, "Yeah. I'd say I'm doing pretty well for myself."

Rock Lee fist pumped, and for some reason it reminded Kane of Naruko, "Excellent! Then, when you return to Konoha, we shall spar together!"

Kane rolled his eyes, "I'm not coming back, Lee."

"Of course you are! It will happen, Kane-kun, Naruko and Sasuke will see to it!"

Kane glared for a moment.

"They can try."

"Kane-kun, we must go." Kabuto spoke as Orochimaru began getting annoyed at the reunion delaying his plans. Kane nodded, and the five turned and took off.

As Rock Lee watched them go, eager to chase after them, Neji halted him.

"We can't hope to stop them, Lee. That's Orochimaru we're talking about, and they outnumber us to begin with. We need to complete our mission, and protect Fugaku-sama as we escort him back to Konoha. Hokage's orders."

Rock Lee frowned sadly before nodding, "You are right, of course, Neji-kun. Let us help our comrade!"

* * *

"They've changed direction again!" Pakkun announced, and the four Konoha Shinobi just nodded as they continued to follow the dog.

"We're going to catch him." Naruko declared with a fire in her eyes as she made eye contact with Sasuke.

The boy nodded in response, "Yeah. This time, we'll find him for sure."

* * *

"What is this place?" Karin asked asked they walked down steps into a small hole leading into the earth.

"It's our base in Water Country," Kabuto answered, "We have at least one in every country across the elemental nations. Well... Almost every one, at least."

"Why are we here? We should head back to Sound." Kane said.

"I want to deal with this eye as soon as possible." Orochimaru responded as he continued to ogle the eye in his hand.

"Wait, you're going to implant the eye into yourself _now?!_ " Karin asked in shocked, and the Sannin chuckled in response.

"Indeed."

Hidan snorted, "You and your obsession with those eyes. Sometimes I wish Itachi hadn't messed you up so badly. Maybe then you wouldn't be such a freak about some stupid eyes."

Orochimaru ignored him as he continued to smirk at the eye in his hand.

The group approached three separate pathways, and proceeded to go down the one in the center. After walking for some time, they came into a large metal room, the size of a training ground, and nothing else in it. They crossed the room in complete silence before walking through the single door on the other side, leading down another narrow pathway.

"Holy shit bastard, how big is this place? None of this is necessary!" Hidan moaned as the group had been walking for quite some time.

"There's nothing even in this place... It's just empty." Karin pointed out.

"We're almost there." Kabuto answered with a disarming smile.

The group finally came to another door, and opened it to reveal a single bed placed in the center of the room and several desks littered with medical supplies.

Kane raised an eyebrow, "You planned all of this in advance, didn't you?"

Orochimaru chuckled but said nothing as he handed the eye to Kabuto and laid down on the bed.

* * *

"This way!" Sasuke said as they sprinted down the steps. They came across a door, and Naruko slammed it open with a Rasengan almost immediately.

"You could've checked if it was unlocked." Kakashi pointed out, but the girl ignored him and the four ninja and one ninja hound took off again.

Soon, they came across three separate pathways, and they hesitated.

"Pakkun, which one?" Kakashi asked.

Pakkun sniffed and grimaced as he covered his nose, "Ah. I can't tell. This whole place smells like death."

Naruko snapped at the dog, "Come on mutt! Tell us which one already!"

"I can't!"

The girl growled in frustration before Sai put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn to him in surprise at the gesture.

"We'll split up. Sai! You take Pakkun and head left. Naruko, Sasuke, take the center pathway. I'll head right. If you find them, try to signal the others somehow. Use your head and figure out a way, if you can."

The four nodded at him and took off.

* * *

Karin's head snapped backwards as she eyed the door they just came through in surprise.

Kane closed his eyes in annoyance, "It's them, isn't it?"

Karin nodded, "Two people. One of them is definitely Naru-chan."

Kane turned and began walking towards the door, and Karin ran after him.

"Kane! Where are you going?"

"Stay here, Karin. You too, Hidan."

Hidan nodded and fell onto his ass as he stretched, "Whatever you say, Kane-sama!"

"What?! Wait, what's-"

Kabuto turned and gave the three a smile as he interrupted Karin, "I'm going to begin operating immediately. Karin, why don't you come watch? You might learn something."

Karin paused and looked unsure of what to do. She slowly nodded at Kabuto before turning back to Kane, "But what about you, Kane?! Where are you going?!"

Kane stared straight ahead as he opened the door and began walking out.

"I'm going to go greet my teammates."

* * *

End of Chapter 58


	61. Chapter 59

_When had he even taken off his mask?!_

 _The empty bowl of ramen sat in front of the masked Jounin, his eye upturned in a smile as he read his icha icha novel. Naruko's loud voice and joyous laughs filled the air as Team 7 found themselves eating once again at Ichiraku Ramen._

 _Kane sat facing his teammates, Naruko to his right and Sasuke on the other side of the girl. The blonde, twin pigtailed girl was chattering away towards the both of them, enthralling them with another story of her Mother that her Father recently told to her._

 _Kakashi agreed to pay tonight, and the atmosphere was lighthearted and warm. Teuchi's daughter was off today, Kane didn't have to worry about spending anything, and he found himself in good company._

 _As he continued to listen to Naruko, his head on his palm as his arm rested on the counter, Kane gave off a soft, content smile._

 _This was his team._

 _Kane wanted nothing more in the world than to truly become apart of Team 7. It was his dream. Once, he had a different dream; to become a splendid ninja, and make the village accept him._

 _Now, he wanted to become a splendid ninja, so that Team 7 would accept him._

 _As Kane continued to smile at the two, Kakashi-sensei casually placing a hand atop his head as if he could read his thoughts, Kane felt hope._

 _Maybe someday._

* * *

 _ **'Tap!' 'tap!' 'tap!' 'tap!'' tap!' 'tap!' 'tap!' 'tap!' 'tap!' 'tap!'**_

The rythmic sound of footsteps filled the dark hallway as Naruko and Sasuke sprinted as fast as they could.

They were close.

They were _so close._

Neither knew how they knew for sure that they were so close to finding Kane, and yet they could both feel it. It wasn't spoken about or discussed.

They just knew.

No words were traded between the two. Each found themselves deep in their own thoughts. Memories, of times long since lost.

* * *

 _"No, Dead Last, you're doing it wrong." Sasuke said with annoyance as he barely held himself back from rolling his eyes._

 _Kane looked flustered, "What did I do?"_

 _"Stop moving your right foot forward so much. Just because it's your dominant leg, doesn't mean you rely on it more than your left leg. This style is meant to help you flow around your opponent, like water."_

 _He must've said something right, because a dawning realization filled the Dead Last's eyes and he nodded with determination._

 _And then, he did the Taijutsu form properly._

 _Sasuke smiled slightly, pleased with the results._

 _"Do it again, Dead Last."_

 _Kane nodded, and repeated the forms._

 _Later that night, Sasuke would give Kane his approval, saying that he needed to practice more but his stance was 'adequate'._

 _Kane would thank Sasuke for teaching him a style, so that he wouldn't have to continue using the academy style. His thanks was so genuine, so earnest, that Sasuke nearly blushed in embarassment. Nearly!_

 _But when Sasuke would hold out his fist, Kane would become the one who looked flustered. He would hesitantly raise his own, and the two would bump fists._

 _That would be the first time Sasuke freely admitted to himself, that Kane was more than just a teammate._

 _Kane had become his friend._

* * *

 _"Why do you like this place so much, Kane?" Naruko asked the boy, the two of them sitting at Ichiraku Ramen's. Naruko was supposed to be training with her Godfather, Pervy-Sage, but she decided to take a lunch break and come see Kane. She still had plenty of time before the Chunin Exam Finals, after all._

 _She wasn't worried about Gaara. Not really. So long as her loved ones were there, supporting her, she knew she would win._

 _'I wonder if Kane will cheer, too...'_

 _She felt heat rising to her cheeks before quickly forcing it down._

 _"Ah... Err, I don't know. It's just, my favorite I guess... I don't really go anywhere else." Kane answered her as he rubbed the back of his head in apparent embarassment._

 _Why was he embarassed about that?_

 _"Well, the food is certainly delicious!" Naruko said with a dazzling smile, and Kane looked away as his face turned slightly red._

 _Naruko smirked at that._

 _Teuchi walked out then, and placed another bowl of Ramen in front of both Kane and herself. The boy looked shocked as he stared up at Teuchi in surprise._

 _"It's on the house." The man said before giving a small, gentle smile to Kane. Then, he gave a huge grin to Naruko before walking away._

 _Kane looked so surprised. It was clear this was an abnormality._

 _"Twice now, he's done that... I wonder why..." She heard Kane mumble to himself, and the girl decided she wanted to get his mind off of whatever was troubling him._

 _"Come on Kane! Let's eat!" Naruko grinned, and the boy smiled back as the two enjoyed their meal._

 _Naruko told him all about her training, and before long the two were heading out._

 _She knew Kane wasn't treated well. She didn't understand why; he really was a nice guy. All she knew was he was an orphan and a lot of people didn't like him for some reason. She figured he must've had awful parents that were hated by a lot of people._

 _The thought that they'd take it out on Kane angered the blonde._

 _She'd make sure she was one of the ones that showed him kindness!_

 _"Thanks for lunch, Kane." Naruko smiled and Kane gave her a confused look in return._

 _"I didn't buy your lunch, you bought it yourself."_

 _Naruko laughed, "I meant thanks for eating with me."_

 _"Oh. Sure." Kane said as he looked awkward and adorable; to her, at least._

 _Naruko leaned forward and kissed his cheek, and the boy turned red as she herself felt a flush in both cheeks._

 _"I'll see you later!" She said with a wink, and her smile widened when he blushed even further._

 _As she turned and hopped away to meet up with Pervy-Sage, Naruko smirked._

 _'Oh yeah. He'll definitely be mine one day.'_

* * *

Naruko and Sasuke came to a halt as they entered a large, empty room. A single door existed on the other side.

And a single person stood in front of it.

Naruko and Sasuke both tensed.

The three stood there, staring at each other, for what felt like a millenium.

 _"Kane..."_ Naruko breathed out, and the quiet whisper carried throughout the silent room.

* * *

It was funny, really.

Yuka-sensei had changed him more than he thought.

As Kane stared at his two ex-teammates, he realized he'd been wrong.

To Kane, Naruko and Sasuke were untouchable. They were the prodigious teammates he'd never had any hope of standing beside. They were invincible, they were legends in the making, they were giants.

Kane realized now, as he stared at the two of them, that things had changed.

No longer did he see two unbeatable Shinobi. No longer did he see two prodigies he'd never compete against. No longer did he see power, in the form of a blonde girl and dark-haired boy.

No longer did he feel inadequate.

Now, Kane saw only what they were.

Naruko and Sasuke.

Yuka-sensei's impact on him was staggering. He knew he'd changed due to his growth and experiences. He wasn't the weak little boy anymore. Still, that wasn't the cause in his change in view. It was because of Yuka-sensei, and the ideals she instilled within him.

He didn't take to everything she said. The woman was a crazy old bat, after all, and Kane wasn't stupid enough to think she was right about everything.

She was right about a lot of things, though.

'Prodigy' meant nothing to him now.

He was one, too.

He was a Sanguis.

Kane began walking forward, his steps echoing across the room, and the two mirrored him and began walking closer as well.

It was funny, really, how he had been the one to approach first.

The three ninja stopped when they grew closer, only ten feet separating them.

They continued staring at each other, and noone spoke a word.

Kane was wrong.

These two standing before him, they weren't giants. They weren't untouchables, unattainables, unsurpassables.

Kane was greater than them, now.

"Naruko. Sasuke." He spoke emotionlessly, and the two tensed at hearing his voice for the first time in years.

The two said nothing as they continued to stare at him, as if they didn't truly believe he was real.

Sasuke glanced at the blonde before saying, "We're here to bring you home, Kane."

Kane raised an eyebrow at him, "Is that so?"

Sasuke nodded as Naruko kept silent.

Kane closed his eyes, "And, what, am I expected to just come along quietly?"

Sasuke frowned, "Why wouldn't you? It's time to come home, Kane."

Kane's eyes snapped open as he glared at the other boy, "Konoha is _not_ my home. It never was."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in response, "Yes it is, Kane. It's where you grew up. It's where Team 7 is."

"Konoha never wanted me. They made that abundantly clear. Hatred, that's all that I ever knew in my time living there. Hatred for my status as a Jinchuriki."

Naruko visibly flinched, and Sasuke's features relaxed as he looked at Kane sadly.

"We know the truth, Kane. We know you're not a Jinchuriki."

"Yeah," Kane's eyes trailed over to the uncharacteristically quiet blonde, "She is."

Naruko closed her eyes as she let out a shaky sigh, before opening them and speaking for the first time.

"Kane, I... I understand why you left. I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. I understand if you hate Konoha. I understand if you hate the villagers. I understand if you hate my dad. I understand if... If you hate me." Naruko's voice trailed off to a whisper at the end, and Kane stared emotionlessly as Sasuke gave the girl a concerned look.

The three stood there quietly for several moments, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I've thought long and hard about Konoha. About how they treated me. About how much much I hated that place." Kane murmurred as he looked down towards the ground, his hands clenched into fists.

His two old teammates watched him quietly.

Kane relaxed slightly as he continued, "I hate Konoha, but I don't hate the Hokage. How could I? He used me as a scapegoat for his daughter. Sure, I was angry when I found out, but I couldn't stay mad."

Naruko looked shocked, "Why not?"

Kane stared into her eyes for several moments, "Because his daughter is you."

Naruko's mouth dropped open in surprise as she said nothing, and Kane continued speaking after a few moments.

"I don't hate you, Naruko. Maybe I wanted to, once, but I couldn't. I'm not mad at you, and I don't blame you."

Kane closed his eyes as he continued softly, "I could never hate you."

Naruko looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders as she gave him a shaky, relieved smile in return.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "But?"

"I'll never go back to Konoha." Kane snapped as he glared at the two, and they both flinched.

"Kane, Konoha... I know you haven't been treated right, but it's your home! It's where you belong. You belong in the leaf. You belong with _us._ " Naruko pleaded.

Sasuke nodded in agreement, "Things will be different, Kane. We didn't know. We could've helped you if you told us."

Kane scoffed, "Helped me? I don't need _help!_ I've done just fine on my own!"

Sasuke scowled, "Yeah, just fine. A Missing Ninja is an excellent title to have."

Kane glared, "I've killed off three members of the Akatsuki. What have _you_ done?"

Naruko jumped in, "We've been looking for you! Kane, please, come home! Come back to Team 7."

"I was never a member of Team 7." Kane spoke as his face took on a neutral mask of indifference.

Naruko and Sasuke both looked shocked at his words, "What?! Yes you were! You were the third member of Team 7!" Naruko growled, angered by his words.

"No, I wasn't. Team 7 never had any room for me; that's why the two of you always left me behind!" Kane snapped.

He was getting angry. Why was he getting so frustrated?! These two... They brought out the worst in him. Made him dig up old wounds he hadn't felt in years. He hadn't had anything get under his skin like this since Yuka-sensei told him she didn't care for him.

Naruko looked at him sadly, "Kane. We've been waiting for you this entire time."

Kane relaxed as he looked at the girl in confusion, "What?"

Sasuke nodded, "Naruko and I are still Chunin. We've refused any type of promotions in order to stay as Team 7. Every now and then we're required to go on a mission because of our rank, but for the most part we do it together. We're still a team; all we're missing is the final piece." He gave him a pointed look at that.

Kane couldn't hide his surprise.

 _'They... They've been waiting for me?'_

"Kane, we're sorry. We didn't realize how alone you felt. We should've never accepted those promotions to Chunin. We should've stayed behind, with you."

Kane glared, suddenly feeling a rush of anger flow through him.

"You mean you should've let me hold you back, _again._ "

Naruko's eyes widened as a panicked look overtook her features, "No! We should've stayed a team! You didn't hold us back Kane! You never held us back!"

Kane growled, "You're lying. Both of you saw me as baggage. I was never good enough to be on Team 7!"

"Kane-" Sasuke started but was cut off immediately by Kane.

"But things are different now! I'm different! The two of you, I can see it. You both came here expecting to see the same, sad, pathetic little Genin from three years ago! Well take a good look; I'm not the same person!" Kane snapped.

 _He was so angry._

"It doesn't matter who you are! To us, you'll always be Kane!" Naruko said heatedly.

Kane continued glaring as Sasuke spoke up, "You're a member of Team 7, Kane, whether you like it or not. You're one of us. You always have been."

Naruko nodded, "We're more than just a team, Kane. We're _family."_

And Kane saw red.

"Family?! _Family?!_ I have no family! I never did! I was alone from the beginning, and I'll be alone until the end!" Kane snapped.

"Kane-"

"And you know what?! I'm _glad!_ I'm glad I'm alone! I'm glad I never knew my parents! I'm glad I never knew my family! I'm glad I never knew my clan!"

Naruko looked at him in desperation, "You don't mean that!"

Thoughts of Yuka-sensei swirled in Kane's mind. Thoughts of Naibu, of his father Braenaru, of his mother Supea.

He was glad to have never met most of them.

"Yeah, I do. Family only hold you back. They only tear you apart and bring you down. _Bonds_ only hold you back." Kane spoke as he began to calm down, his features taking on a neutral stance one again as he relaxed.

The three stood in silence for several moments.

"You're wrong." Naruko spoke as her head was down, her bangs covering her eyes.

Kane turned his gaze onto the blonde as his eyes narrowed, "What?"

Naruko snapped her head up as she glared at him heatedly, "You're wrong, Kane! Bonds don't make you weak; they make you strong! They're the reason Sasuke and I are so strong to this day! It was the reason you were strong once, too."

Kane raised an eyebrow at the girl, "Strong? When was I ever strong? I was weak! I was pathetic and dragged everyone down. I was sad and felt sorry for myself, attempting to blame the village for everything that went wrong in my life. I was never _strong!"_

Naruko shook her head, "You were! You just didn't know it! Kane, you had such an impact on our lives. On Sasuke's life, on Kakashi's life, on _my_ life. You can't begin to understand what you leaving did to the rest of us!"

Kane scowled as Sasuke intervened, "Bonds don't make you weak, Kane. They make you strong. It's the reason Naruko and I were always so far ahead of you; we had precious people pushing us forward, and you had nobody. Things are different now; come back home with us, and we'll be the ones to push you forward. We'll be your precious people, and we'll show you what it means to be truly strong."

Kane closed his eyes and let out a deep breath as he attempted to bring himself under control. He would _not_ let these two effect him like this!

Kane opened his eyes and glared at them both coldly, "Why would I return to Konoha? It's not safe for me there."

Sasuke looked confused, "Yes it is. The village will protect you."

Kane remembered the final straw that caused him to abandon the village. How the Akatsuki waltzed right into the village and knocked him out. How the village never even found out what they'd done.

"The village can't protect me, and by staying there I'd be putting an even bigger target over my head." Kane drawled.

"The village can protect you, it-" Naruko started.

"No, it can't." Kane declared coldly and Naruko and Sasuke both hesitated.

Kane would not budge on this one.

"So, what? You're just going to keep running around, hunting the Akatsuki?" Sasuke snapped, and Kane nodded.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do."

Naruko looked aghast, "That's stupid! That's even more dangerous than trying to hide!"

"It's been working pretty well so far."

 _"So far!"_ Naruko snapped.

"Kane, why haven't you told anyone that you're not the Jinchuriki?" Sasuke asked.

Kane looked at him like he was stupid, "Why the hell would I do that? If anyone even believed me, it wouldn't matter. Akatsuki would still come after me regardless, because they'd think I was lying. All I'd do is cause the village to put me on the Kill On Sight list in the bingo books, and put Naruko in danger. They'd hunt her along with me."

"Come back to Konoha! We'll get you settled in, we'll solve everything, and, and-" Naruko was getting flustered.

"And what?! Am I supposed to just accept the hateful stares and whispers, ignore them as always?"

"After we get you cleared with the village, we'll tell everyone the truth! I'll tell everyone the truth!" Naruko declared.

Sasuke nodded, "And even if they still treat you poorly, you'll have us. We'll be with you every step of the way, Kane."

"Until the Akatsuki come." Kane spoke drily.

"We'll defeat them together!"

"I won't let the Akatsuki set the terms! I won't let them come to me, I won't let them decide when we fight, where we fight, how we fight... I won't do it! Things have been going great when _I'm_ the one deciding when we fight! When _I'm_ the one hunting the Akatsuki, not the other way around!"

Sasuke shook his head slowly, "We're never going to agree on this."

"You're right, we're not." Kane snapped.

Naruko looked troubled, "So what will you do after you defeat them, then?"

Kane froze.

It was the same question Karin asked him, once.

He still didn't have an answer.

"I don't know..." He whispered as he glared at the floor and clinched his fists.

Naruko took a small step forward, "Kane... When this is all over, will you come home?"

Kane looked up and found he couldn't look away from her beautiful cerulean orbs that spoke of nothing but kindness and concern for him.

"I... I don't know."

What?! What was he saying?! He would _never_ return to Konoha! Not even after the Akatsuki were gone!

Right?

For the first time, he felt doubt.

Kane shook his head back and forth, attempting to rid himself of the thoughts as he glared at the two in anger.

The effect they had on him pissed him off!

The effect _she_ had on him!

"There's no point talking about this! Akatsuki's not dead yet, and I'm only focused on stopping them right now!"

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah. There's no point talking about that, Naruko. That scenario won't happen."

Kane looked at the boy in confusion.

He glared in response.

"Because we're bringing you home, _right now_ , Kane."

Naruko and Sasuke shared a look, and nodded.

Kane froze as the two tensed.

They were _serious._

"It's time to go home, Dead Last."

Kane felt rage fill him once more.

* * *

Karin's head snapped up as she stared in the direction Kane left.

"Something wrong?" Kabuto asked, his eyes never leaving Orochimaru as he continued the procedure.

Karin's face paled as she took several steps away from Orochimaru.

"People are coming. A _lot_ of people. This isn't good!"

Hidan stood up and stretched as he cracked his neck, "About time! I was getting seriously bored!"

Karin took off sprinting towards the Chakra signiatures of Kane, Naruko and Sasuke.

* * *

Kane wasn't sure if this was a fight he could win. There was no water nearby, he had no clue how strong the two had gotten, and he was outnumbered.

He needed to play dirty.

Kane smirked, and the two tensed even further.

He hated the effect they had on him. It frustrated him; nobody in the world could effect him like Naruko, Sasuke, and Kakashi could.

But he knew how to manipulate other people, too.

"There's just one more thing..." Kane spoke slowly as he continued to smirk at the two of them.

Continued to smirk at Sasuke.

"Itachi Uchiha." Kane spoke the words and immediately the two tensed even further, if that was possible.

"He's in Akatsuki."

They both looked at him in shock before Sasuke spoke up, "You're lying!"

"No. I'm not. He's actually the first member I ever met." Kane continued to smirk a vile smirk.

"Sasuke... Your brother, he-" Naruko began

"He must have a good reason! He's _not_ a criminal! He didn't kill Shisui!" Sasuke snapped.

"I'm going to kill him." Kane spoke neutrally as he continued to smirk.

The two tensed as they stared at him, and Sasuke spoke quietly, a near whisper, "What?"

"He's an Akatsuki. I'm not going to stop until I kill the Akatsuki. _Every_ Akatsuki."

Sasuke scowled as he clenched his fists in anger, and Naruko looked between the two, uncertainty clear on her face.

"You know, if you two take me back to Konoha, I wonder if I'll be punished..." Kane spoke almost as if it were an afterthought.

"What? You... You won't be punished harshly! My dad, I'll talk to him, he'll let you off easy for leaving, he-"

"Not for that." Kane waved the girl off, his eyes never leaving Sasuke's.

"For what?" Sasuke growled out.

"For what I did to Fugaku Uchiha earlier today."

Time seemed to freeze for the three ninja, and slowly Sasuke took careful steps towards Kane until the boys were face to face.

Sasuke grabbed the collar of Kane's shirt with both hands and clenched his hands into tight fists, lifting Kane up and completely off the ground as he glared up at him.

 _"What did you do, Kane?"_

"I'm allied with Orochimaru right now." Kane spoke casually, and Naruko gasped in the background, but both boys ignored her.

"So what?!" Sasuke snapped as his Sharingan activated and his eyes began spinning threateningly.

"Orochimaru helped me kill the last Akatsuki member. He's going to help me kill more, too... All I had to do in return was help him out. All I had to do was help him take your father's eyes."

Sasuke's arms began shaking as he glared up at Kane, and Naruko looked more lost on what she should do than ever before.

"Maybe, Sasuke, you should go help your poor father out instead of wasting time here." Kane continued to smirk down at the boy, and Naruko looked like she couldn't recognize him anymore.

Sasuke was _furious._

His arms began shaking slightly as he trembled.

"Kane... You... You better damned well hope he's alright. When we get back to Konoha, you're going to do your _absolute best to make amends with my father, no matter what it takes._ "

Sasuke's voice was so cold, so threatening. Kane had never seen the boy so mad, so threatening, so _intense._

And yet, to Kane, he'd never looked more pathetic.

"Look at you, Sasuke..." Kane raised both arms and gripped each wrist of Sasuke's, his nails digging into Sasuke's skin as he stared down at the boy.

"Here you are, getting all worked up over your father. Over your brother. Over your precious _bonds!"_

Sasuke said nothing as he continued to glare up at him, and Naruko shook her head in disbelief.

"You used to be so strong, in my eyes. You used to be amazing. Now, I see you for what you really are. You're _pathetic,_ Sasuke." Kane snapped as he dug his fingers even deeper into the other boys skin, thin trails of blood leaking out from his grip.

 _"Kane! Stop it!"_ Naruko practically screamed, desperation coating her voice.

"You sit here and get yourself all worked up because of these _stupid bonds!_ They inhibit you! They're the reason you've grown so weak, Sasuke!" Kane yelled down at the boy as Sasuke looked murderous.

"You-" Sasuke began before gasping, dropping Kane as he stumbled backwards several steps.

Kane landed on both feet gently, as he continued glaring at Sasuke. Sasuke stared at him in shock, confused as to what just happened.

"Let me show you how strong I've become, Sasuke! Let me show you what it means when you fight for _yourself!"_

Sasuke screamed in pain as he fell to the floor, his blood heating up as Kane and Naruko watched him writhe in agony.

 _"Sasuke!"_ Naruko screamed before throwing herself onto the floor beside the boy.

 _"I... forgot he could do that..."_ Sasuke murmured through gritted teeth as he continued trembling, glaring up hatefully at Kane.

Naruko whirled around to stare up at Kane, who was looking down distastefully at the Uchiha.

 _"Kane! Stop it!"_ She screamed as she realized what he was doing.

"Look at you, Sasuke. Writhing on the ground below me. Below the _Dead Last._ This is what bonds do to you! They distract you! They weaken you! They drag you down and make you weak! Well I'm not weak anymore! I'm strong, now! I'm stronger than both of you!" Kane's voice steadily grew louder and louder with each word, until he was practically screaming.

The door behind them _burst_ open, and Karin came sprinting out.

 _"_ _ **Kane!**_ _We've gotta go!"_ Karin screamed, and Naruko looked at the girl in shock.

 _"Karin?!"_

Karin flinched as she set her sights upon her cousin. For some reason, even though the entire reason she joined Kane was for her, she felt _guilty._

The next thing the redhead knew, Kane was flying at her, his skin red as he called out.

 _"Karin!"_

She nodded as she quickly pulled out a paper bomb and threw it above the door, and Kane grabbed the girl around the waist as he ran passed her.

 _"Wait! Stop!"_ Naruko screamed as she ran after them.

 _When had Kane gotten so fast?!_

The paper bomb exploded, collapsing the doorway with debris and metal as Naruko shielded her eyes.

She stared at the blocked pathway and screamed in frustration as she pulled at her hair.

Sasuke appeared beside her as he glared at the destruction hatefully.

"I screwed up. I _screwed up!_ " He groaned as he punched the wall in anger.

"Did you? Mind telling me about it?" A voice spoke from behind them, and the two Konoha Shinobi turned around

Only to find themselves standing before several squadrons of Mizu Ninja.

* * *

As Kane and Karin arrived at the room with the others, Kane set the girl down and stared at Orochimaru.

The man was sitting up, one hand over his right eye as his left eye stared at Kane with malicious glee.

"What do you think, Kane-kun?" Orochimaru asked as he slowly removed his hand to reveal his new eye.

His brand new Mangekyou Sharingan spinning threateningly.

* * *

End of Chapter 59


	62. Chapter 60

_'Where are Kakashi and Sai?'_ Sasuke thought with trepidation as he glared at the Mizu ninja in front of them.

 _'... Thirteen... Fourteen... Fifteen... Fifteen Mizu Shinobi. This is not good!'_

One of the Mizu Jounin pushed a member forward, and the boy staggered clumsily before catching himself and blushing. He had short, tufty blue hair and shark-like teeth. He was wearing square, black-rimmed glasses connected to ear protectors, a blue pin-striped shirt and camouflage pants.

"Ah... Hi! My name is Chojuro!" The boy said as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

One of the many Jounin sighed, "Chojuro, you're supposed to interrogate them, not make friends.

The boy blushed even further, "Ah! Right! S-sorry!"

The boy coughed into his open palm before looking at Sasuke and Naruko fearfully.

"S-state your business here!"

The Jounin behind Chojuro all sighed simultaneously, knowing he was a lost cause.

"Sasuke." Naruko said quietly, her hair covering her eyes.

Sasuke glanced at the girl momentarily, but didn't say a word.

"I'm going after Kane. I'm not letting him get away again."

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah."

"Hey! What're you-" One of the Jounin began to shout, and Naruko threw up four fingers into the shape of a cross.

 _"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"_

A copy of the girl appeared, and immediately began forming a huge Rasengan in the original's hand.

Naruko and the clone sprinted towards the caved-in pathway Kane and Karin took off through, and slammed the Rasengan into the debris.

 _"Odama Rasengan!"_

The Rasengan exploded, and the Mizu Shinobi took action.

"Don't let them get away!"

Several Jounin began shooting off Water Ninjutsu, and Sasuke retaliated by firing off his own _Great Fireball Jutsu_.

The Water Ninjutsu's quickly overtook the huge fireball, and when the steam cleared only Sasuke remained. Naruko had taken off through the pathway.

"Salt Squad, Mist Squad, after the girl! The rest of you, on me!" The Jounin in command ordered, and six Mizu Shinobi began flanking Sasuke in an attempt to run around him and chase Naruko.

 _"Chidori Nagashi!"_

The lightning filled the room as several Jounin ducked for cover, however it was unnecessary as the lightning flew above everyone's heads.

"Sorry, but you're just going to have to get your answers from me." Sasuke drawled as he stood between the Mizu Shinobi and the pathway.

Sasuke's Sharingan eyes narrowed as he dodged a swing from Chojuro's sword, Hiramekarei.

"Please forgive me for what I'm about to do!" Chojuro said with a slight wince as he charged Sasuke.

* * *

The five shinobi exited the base through the back entrance, Orochimaru smirking the entire time.

Kane continuously eyed the Snake Sannin warily; he was far too pleased at having collected his new eye.

Orochimaru chuckled lowly, "Shall we head back to Sound, then?"

Kane wondered where else he could go. He had no desire to continue traveling with the Sannin, but he really had no other leads on Akatsuki, and Orochimaru had proven useful so far. He'd also agreed to help Kane with the other Akatsuki members, too...

 _'I couldn't care less about them.'_ Orochimaru's words repeated in his head.

Kane nodded, and the five took to the trees as they began making their way back to Rice Country.

Why would Orochimaru help him, though? He'd gotten what he wanted out of Kane, right? And he'd said it himself... He didn't care about the Akatsuki.

So why would he keep to his end of the deal?

 _'Because he wants something else.'_ Kane thought with a suspicious glance at the man.

He'd already agreed to his end of the deal; Kane didn't have to do a damned thing for the man anymore, he couldn't blackmail him. He'd filled his end of the bargain. Orochimaru had no way to force Kane to do what he wanted, and Kane had no intentions of ever helping him again, and they both knew it.

 _'Then... What does he want?'_

* * *

Naruko burst through the door leading outside the base, looking left and right as she searched for any signs of Kane.

Nothing.

Naruko bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as she trembled in anger.

 _'I won't let him get away!'_

"Naruko!" She heard a voice and turned to find Kakashi, Sai and Pakkun sprinting towards her.

"Kakashi! Guys! What are you doing out here?!" The girl asked in shock. Hadn't they been in the base too?!

"Both our pathways lead us to... Troubling sights, but we didn't find anyone present. The entire place was empty on our sides, and both pathways lead to the same location, with a single exit leading us out here. Did you find them?" Kakashi spoke quickly.

Naruko nodded as she bit her lip again.

Kakashi closed his eye and sighed. He could tell how things must've gone by her reaction alone.

"We need to get out of here, Naruko. Mist Village Shinobi were hot on our trail; we don't have much time. Where is Sasuke?"

"He's still inside! We got caught by a bunch of Mist Shinobi ourselves! He's distracting them while I chase after Kane!"

Naruko's eyes landed on Pakkun, and they widened.

" _Pakkun!_ Take me to Kane!"

"Ehh?" The dog spoke in confusion.

"Kakashi, you and Sai go help Sasuke! I'll find Kane!" Naruko spoke with desperation as she picked up the dog and began shaking him, "Find his scent, mutt!"

"Naruko, maybe that's not-" Sai began slowly before Kakashi cut him off.

"There's no time to debate! We need to grab Sasuke and get moving! Just do it!" Kakashi ordered as he sprinted down the steps Naruko came from, Sai hot on his heels.

As they disappeared from sight, Kakashi's voice called out to Naruko, "Naruko! We'll grab Sasuke and be right behind you!"

"Hurry up, mutt!" Naruko shouted and Pakkun whimpered.

"Alright, alright! I've got it! Come on!"

* * *

 _'This guy's good!'_ Sasuke thought in annoyance as he continued dodging blows from Chojuro's blade.

It didn't help that he was dodging Water Ninjutsu from the other ninja, too.

A kunai flew into his leg, stabbing him, and Sasuke hissed in pain as he dodged another blow from Chojuro.

 _"Idiot!_ Don't kill him! We need to find out what he's doing here, and we can't do that if he's _dead!_ " The leader roared as he backhanded the Shinobi that decided to launch a projectile at him.

 _"Sasuke!"_ Kakashi's voice called out as he appeared behind him with Sai in tow.

 _'Thank Kami... Backup!'_

"I'm in a bit of a pickle here, Kakashi." Sasuke gritted out as he continued glaring at Chojuro.

 _"More_ Leaf Ninja?! The Mizukage is _not_ going to be happy about this!" The leader roared in anger.

Kakashi glanced at Sasuke, "We need to get out of here! There are more Mizu Ninja coming, and if we don't hurry we're going to be surrounded on _both_ sides."

Sasuke nodded, "What do we do?"

Kakashi eye-smiled, "Simple. We run."

"What?"

 _"Earth-Style: Mud Wall!"_ Kakashi called out as he formed his Chakra into earth before forming a large wall between the three of them and the Mizu Shinobi.

Curses and Jutsu could be heard on the other side and the three took off.

"It won't hold for long! We need to find Naruko, she went after Kane!"

* * *

The more Kane watched Orochimaru, the more anxious he grew.

The man was far too pleased with his new eye. Sure, it made sense that he would be happy but...

Kane just had a terrible, terrible feeling about it.

He came to a halt, and Hidan and Karin both paused as well, giving him curious looks. Orochimaru and Kabuto realized they'd fallen behind, and stopped and jumped backwards.

"What is it, Kane-kun?" Orochimaru asked.

As Kane stared into the man's yellow, slitted eyes, he made his decision.

"I've changed my mind."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, "About what, Kane-kun?"

Kane narrowed his eyes, "We're not going to follow you back to Rice Country, Orochimaru."

Everyone looked at Kane in confusion, "Where will you go then, Kane-kun?"

Kane hesitated for a moment, "Frost Country."

Kabuto gave him a dubious look, "Frost Country? The country you have to cross in order to reach Lightning Country and the Hidden Cloud Village. _That_ Frost Country?"

"Is there another one?" Kane snapped as he glared at Kabuto.

"Kane, why would we go there?" Karin asked the boy.

"Shutup, bitch! Kane-sama can do whatever the hell he wants!" Hidan snapped and the girl looked outraged at the ex-Akatsuki member.

"Don't call me a bitch, you disgusting, vile, bastard!" Karin screeched.

"But you're a bitch, bitch!"

"Shutup!" Kane snapped as he glared at Orochimaru. Orochimaru did _not_ look pleased, and for some reason Kane felt very, _very_ anxious.

"Why would you go there, Kane-kun?" The man asked civilly.

"Akatsuki will go for myself and the Eight Tails now. The Eight Tails lives in the Hidden Cloud, and I want to be nearby when word of his capture reaches me. I don't want to be too close, but close enough that I can get there in time. Rice Country is the perfect location." Kane explained as he stared at the man.

Orochimaru chuckled lowly, "Kane-kun, why lie to me? What's the real reason you're having a sudden change of heart?"

Kane said nothing as he glared at the man.

Orochimaru smirked as he jumped down from the trees, and Kabuto was quick to follow. Kane glared down, knowing what this meant, and followed, Karin and Hidan right behind him.

Orochimaru took several steps closer to him once he landed.

"Could it be, Kane-kun, that you're _afraid?_ " The man hissed lowly as he continued to smirk.

"Kane-sama's not afraid of you, bastard! He's the chosen of Jashin-sama!" Hidan snapped as he pulled out his medallion, "Praise be to his name!"

As Hidan began praying, Kane continued to glare at the Sannin as he kept quiet. Karin looked at him in concern.

"Kane?" She asked quietly.

"What are you _really_ after, Orochimaru?" Kane asked coldly.

Orochimaru smirked, and the five fell into silence, the only sounds being the wind gently blowing through the air.

"Several years ago, I came across some... Interesting, information." Orochimaru spoke lowly as his eyes turned malicious.

Kane kept quiet as he continued to glare.

"Fifteen years ago, the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, and all considered it to be a naturally occurring disaster." Orochimaru began, and Kabuto looked on in interest as Orochimaru began filling in the final pieces of the puzzle for the medic ninja.

"They were wrong. The Nine Tails attack wasn't natural; it was _controlled._ Not just the attack, but the Nine Tails itself!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kane snapped.

Orochimaru chuckled again, "The Kyuubi was being _controlled_ , Kane-kun! Somebody was forcing the Kyuubi to do their bidding, and commanded the beast to attack the village!"

Kane's eyes widened.

Orochimaru smirked.

"I discovered _how_ they were controlling it. And the answer is really quite simple..." Orochimaru trailed off as he activated his Sharingan, his Mangekyou spinning wildly.

"The Mangekyou can control the Kyuubi..." Kane whispered in shock as he stared at the eye of Fugaku Uchiha.

"Indeed, Kane-kun. And now, _I_ can control the Kyuubi."

Orochimaru closed his eyes and laughed.

"I was always afraid, Kane-kun, of what exactly would happen were I to take the body of a Jinchuriki."

 _'Take the body?'_ Kane thought in shock.

"Would the demon destroy me from the inside out? Would it be released? I didn't know. I still don't; not truly. But now, it no longer matters! I can submit it to my will with this eye! This glorious, beautiful eye that now belongs to me!" Orochimaru began praising as his fingers came to gently touch the skin beneath his right eye.

"The entire world knows my name, Kane-kun. _Orochimaru of the Sannin..._ Quite a nice ring to it, no?"

Kane said nothing as he continued to glare, understanding where this was going.

"Imagine... If the world fears me for my power as I am, imagine what they'll think when they realize how much stronger I've become. The eyes of the Uchiha, the Chi Sosa, and the power of the Kyuubi, _all mine!"_

Kane snarled as he got into a defensive position, Karin and Hidan imitating him.

"I want more from you than I got from Fugaku, Kane-kun! So much more!"

Orochimaru launched himself at the three.

 _"Give me your body, Kane Sanguis!"_

* * *

"Get _out_ of the way!" The girl screamed as she slammed a Rasengan into the Mizu Jounin's stomach. The man cried out in pain as he fell off the tree limb, unconscious.

"Pakkun! Where is he?!" Naruko snapped, and Pakkun continued sniffing.

"They went that way!" Pakkun shouted before taking off again, Naruko right on his heels.

Naruko growled lowly as her eyes flashed red momentarily.

 _'I'm coming, Kane!'_

* * *

Kane dodged the sword as Orochimaru continued to swing Kusanagi at him over and over again.

"Stand still, Kane-kun! I don't want to hit something vital!" Orochimaru screamed with malicious glee.

"You were going to take me back to Sound before taking my body, is that it?!" Kane yelled back as he attempted to slam a tendril of water into him. Orochimaru jumped away with a laugh.

"Indeed! Imagine it, Kane-kun! I'll become nearly perfect with you! The Kyuubi, Water Manipulation, Blood Manipulation, The Mangekyou Sharingan... I'll nearly have it all!"

"Nearly?" Kane scoffed as he once again sent several tendrils of water flying at the snake.

"Nearly! Don't worry, Kane-kun! As soon as I have your body, I'll finish the job for you! I'll hunt down the leader of Akatsuki, Pain, and I'll take his eyes, too! With the Rinnegan, I'll truly be the perfect being! Then nothing will stop me from achieving my dreams!"

As a tendril slammed into Orochimaru, the man turned into mud and Kane's eyes widened as he felt something grab both of his ankles. He looked down to see Orochimaru slowly appearing from the earth, gripping both his ankles and smirking maliciously.

"I'll destroy the Hidden Leaf! I'll attain immortality! I'll master every Ninjutsu in existence!"

Kane attempted to slam a kunai on top of the man's head, but he turned into mud once again and grew from the dirt behind him, the mud from his clone causing him to become stuck in place.

"And it's all thanks to _you_ , Kane-kun!"

Orochimaru charged him, Kusanagi sticking out from his mouth as he smiled an evil smile.

"Go to sleep for me, Kane-kun!"

The blade pierced through Kane's stomach, and the boy stared down at the blade sticking out from his stomach in shock.

Orochimaru continued to smile as he chuckled.

Then, his eyes widened as Kane burst into water.

 _'A Water Clone!'_ Orochimaru realized.

Unlike normal, the water didn't fall to the earth upon dissipating the clone. On the contrary, it continued to float in mid air, and Orochimaru realized what that meant.

The water launched itself onto Orochimaru and immediately began heating up to a boil.

Orochimaru yelled in pain as he attempted to wipe the water off his body.

Kane jumped from the trees behind Orochimaru and manipulated several tendrils of water to close in on Orochimaru from all sides.

Orochimaru's mouth opened and a mirror image of the man burst forth, jumping away just before the water slammed into the husk.

 _'Tch! I really hate that jutsu!'_ Kane thought with a glare.

"Kane! Naru-chan's heading this way! She'll be here soon!" Karin called out as she hid behind some trees, attempting to avoid the destruction Hidan was causing in his attempt to cut Kabuto.

 _'She's still following me?!'_ Kane thought with a huff as he continued to eye Orochimaru, kunai in hand and water flowing around his body.

Orochimaru smirked at Kane as he activated his Sharingan, "That was a clever little trick, Kane-kun. It won't work again, though. Nothing gets passed these eyes!"

Orochimaru glared off to the side, directly at Karin, and the girl let out a quiet _**'eep!'**_ before ducking behind a tree.

 _'The girl said Naruko Namikaze is nearby? I don't know much about the girl, other than what I saw at the Chunin Exams... She could complicate things...'_

He glanced at Hidan, and smirked.

He wasn't afraid of the ex-Akatsuki member in the slightest. He knew all about his powers.

"Kabuto! Stop playing around with Hidan-san. I have a job for you!" Orochimaru called out as Kabuto dodged another blow from Hidan. The medic ninja quickly jumped over to be by his master's side as Hidan did the same with Kane.

"What is it, Orochimaru-sama?"

"Go distract the Namikaze brat. I don't want her interfering with this." Orochimaru's voice slithered through the air like a snake, and Kabuto nodded before jumping away.

Hidan looked pissed at being ignored.

 _"Oi!_ Get back here ya bastard!" Hidan called out before jumping after Kabuto, and Kane whirled around to glare up at Hidan's retreating back in anger.

 _Where the hell was he going?!_

"Hi-" Kane didn't get to finish calling out to the man before Orochimaru was on him once again.

 _'Idiot!'_

* * *

"Two people are heading this way!" Pakkun announced, and the blonde growled in annoyance as Kabuto appeared before her, followed closely by Hidan swinging his scythe at the boy.

 _"Yeehaw!"_

Kabuto dodged and Naruko attempted to jump passed the two ninja, only to jump away as Kabuto attempted to jab her with his hand as it was lit up with his signature Chakra Scalpel technique.

"I'm gonna make you pay for betraying Kane-sama, ya bastard!" Hidan called out and Kabuto smirked.

"I was never loyal to Kane-kun, always Orochimaru. You knew that, Hidan."

"Yeah, and I'm gonna gut you up regardless!"

Naruko growled.

 _She didn't have time for these morons!_

Hidan began cackling madly as he continued swinging his scythe at Kabuto once again, and Kabuto made it a point to stay near her and prevent her from getting passed him.

"Hey kid! Your little boyfriend is definitely up ahead! You need to get passed these guys!" Pakkun called out.

"I know!" Naruko snapped as she summoned several clones, and the clones began charging the two ninja.

"Hahahahaha!" Hidan cackled as he quickly disposed of each of her clones, and Naruko's eyes widened in shock at how easily he'd done so.

Kabuto smirked.

"Hey, Hidan-san, Naruko-chan over there knows Kane-kun, too!"

Kane turned to the girl and raised an eyebrow, "Ehhh?"

Kabuto nodded almost sagely, "Yes, she's his little..." He held up a pinky, and Hidan stared between the two of them bewildered.

"She's trying to convince him to go back to Konoha! To give up on his life as a Missing Ninja! To give up on Jashin!" Kabuto smirked darkly as Hidan paled.

The next thing Naruko knew, she was dodging _both_ of the boys as they simultaneously attacked her.

"Kane-sama will continue to do the work of Jashin-sama, you bitch!" Hidan screeched.

 _What the hell was going on?!_

* * *

Orochimaru growled in annoyance as he continued dodging tendrils of water. Kane was keeping his distance from the man, and his attacks were no longer aimed at boiling him with the water, but rather the tendrils were attempting to slice him with their force.

 _'The brat's trying to make me bleed.'_ Orochimaru growled lowly.

It was for precisely that reason that he couldn't test his Mangekyou on him.

Every Mangekyou Sharingan eye came with a single ability. For example, Orochimaru knew that Itachi Uchiha could use Amaterasu in one eye and Tsukuyomi in the other... When both eyes came together, they could grant the power of Susanoo, and once an Uchiha learned how to use Susanoo with both eyes, he could then use it with a single eye. Hence how Fugaku attempted to resummon it with only a single eye.

If Orochimaru's eye used the Amaterasu, it was game over. For who, he wasn't sure, but the results would _not_ be favorable for Orochimaru regardless. Either he'd hit Kane and kill him, losing out on his perfect body, or he'd miss and his eye would bleed. Then _he'd_ be the one that would die.

He couldn't risk bleeding around Kane.

 _'I can't wait to get my hands on that Chi Sosa...'_

Orochimaru shivered in delight.

He'd have to find out what powers his eye held some other time.

Orochimaru sneered at Kane as he continued dodging the water tendrils.

 _One_ of them was going to tire out before the other. This was a war of attrition, and they both knew it.

Kane stood off some distance, gritting his teeth as his skin burned red.

 _'The boy's heating up his blood so that I can't use Genjutsu on him, but he's keeping his distance because he knows I have more tricks up my sleeve than he does...'_

Either Kane would exhaust himself and cool down his blood, allowing Orochimaru to hit him with Genjutsu, or Orochimaru would tire himself out and get cut by the water constantly attacking him.

It was only a matter of time.

* * *

 _"Rasengan!"_ The Naruko clones yelled as they both slammed a Rasengan into Hidan, and the man cried out in pain as he was thrown back through several trees.

Naruko glared as only moments later, he walked through the dust cloud, stretching his arms as he rolled his neck.

"That hurt, you bitch!" The man sneered.

 _'How does he keep getting back up?!'_

Naruko dodged as Kabuto attempted to jab her stomach, and Hidan charged the medic ninja, who blocked his scythe with a kunai.

"I haven't forgotten about you either, traitor!" Hidan snarled as he attacked Kabuto.

Naruko was getting frustrated. Kane was so close! She needed to get passed these guys!

Kabuto smirked as he saw the look on the girl's face, "What's the matter, Naruko-chan? Are you worried about Kane-kun?"

The girl snarled at the medic ninja, and he laughed in response.

"It won't be long now until Orochimaru-sama overpowers him, and takes his body."

Naruko froze.

"The powers of the Chi Sosa, and the Kyuubi no Yoko... Orochimaru-sama really did choose his next vessel well." Kabuto smirked.

Naruko knew all about Orochimaru. About how he gained his immortality. She'd learned plenty about the man from her dad over the years. He was a ninja that her dad always told her she needed to stay away from.

And now he was going to take Kane's body.

Because of the Kyuubi.

 _'Why... Why is everyone always out to get Kane?! It should be me. It should be_ _ **me!**_ _'_

Kabuto gasped in shock as he barely managed to dodge the swing of Hidan's scythe, the blade slicing his cheek ever so slightly and drawing a few small drops of blood.

Hidan smirked at the boy as he held his scythe up to his mouth.

Kabuto glared as he quickly ran through scenarios in his head on how to avoid dying.

Then, both boys froze as a dark feeling overtook them.

They turned to face the blond haired Namikaze, and both stared in shock and awe as a red Chakra began to from around her body like a cloak, two tails forming at the end.

Naruko glanced up, her eyes red and slitted, and growled.

It wasn't the growl of a human.

 _'Why is it always Kane?! It never should've been Kane! It was me! It always should've been me!'_

 _'Why?!'_

 _'Why?!'_

 _ **'Why?!'**_

Naruko charged Kabuto, punching him in the face as she shattered his glasses, and the boy went flying through several trees as Naruko roared in anger.

"This is bad! This is really bad! What the hell is going on?!" Pakkun said as he began to panic. What was that red Chakra?! It felt _evil!_

The girl took off in the direction of Kane, and Hidan charged after the girl.

"Get back here, bitch! I'm not through with you ye-"

Naruko turned and roared at Hidan, and the man was sent flying in the other direction as he screamed in surprise.

Naruko faced forward once more, and then she jumped.

* * *

Kane and Orochimaru both jerked and faced towards the direction Hidan and Kabuto had taken off too, the water that was attacking Orochimaru freezing in mid air as both men stared in shock.

Karin fell to her knees, her arms wrapped around her body as she began shaking.

 _'This Chakra... It's evil! This is the worst thing I've ever felt! It's not human! It's-'_

The girl gasped in surprise as Naruko landed in the area, her Chakra cloak surrounding her body as Kane and Orochimaru stared at the girl in shock. A third tail had already finished forming.

 _'It... It can't be! No! This girl- She's the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox?!'_ Orochimaru thought in shock as he glanced at Kane for only a moment before his eyes returned to the enraged blonde.

 _'That's... That's Naruko?'_ Was the only thing Kane could think as he felt as if his mind had gone blank.

And as a fourth tail began forming on the girl, her skin falling off her body and floating in the air before burning away into nothing, the girl _lost it_.

She leaned her head up towards the sky, and _Roared._

* * *

End of Chapter 60

A/N:

Quick thoughts! I know there will be some controversy over Orochimaru's Sharingan and the body replacement technique, so I thought I'd elaborate briefly.

Orochimaru took the _body_ of an Uchiha, so for all intents and purposes he is officially a member of the Uchiha Clan, along with all that entails. Upon swapping bodies, he will retain the Sharingan because of this. This conclusion was drawn from _much_ research, and although there is debate from both sides, this seems to be what the majority of people (including myself) believe.

As for if he will keep the Mangekyou (Since it was transplanted) this is a bit trickier. Yes, it was transplanted into the body so he should technically lose it upon swapping, however since he is technically considered to be an Uchiha now, having felt the power of the Mangekyou (Which is the same as 'unlocking' the mangekyou) he should automatically be able to 're-unlock' it upon getting a new body. As in, it should happen instantly and naturally, without him even doing anything.

These conclusions were drawn after much thorough research. I would cite sources if I could, but I can't on FF. Disagree with my conclusions? Let me know what you think! The story will go on assuming I'm correct, obviously, but I'd love to hear your opinions.


	63. Chapter 61

As the dust settled, Orochimaru chuckled, his deformed body clicking back into place with quiet snaps.

"Simply unbelievable! The things this girl can do!"

Orochimaru's eyes glanced to the side, where a small puddle of water remained. Slowly, a form grew out from the puddle, and Orochimaru's smirk widened even further as the form took on the shape of Kane.

 _'Kane-kun copied my technique and implemented it himself just by seeing me use it twice? Kukuku...'_

His eyes glanced back towards Naruko, the girl now completely consumed by her four tails mode.

 _'Minato-kun, you clever man! To think, you'd keep such a secret from the world!'_

Kane glared at the demonic Naruko as he glanced around the area.

 _'She destroyed everything with that explosion... What kind of power is this?_

His eyes widened.

 _'Where's Karin?!'_

Kane glanced around for the girl, but found no sight of her. The entire landscape had changed, dense forest outlining a huge crater filled with dust and dirt, the water the lands in the country are known for being non-existent within the area.

Kane's eyes snapped over to Orochimaru as the man began chuckling, his tongue slithering out and licking the ground in front of him like a snake.

 _'I think I'll have a little fun with this child! I must choose my next body carefully, now... If I take Kane-kun's body, I won't get the Kyuubi.'_

His eyes glanced over towards Kane to find the boy glaring at him, and his smirk widened.

 _'Then again, if I take the Kyuubi, I don't get that delicious Chi Sosa, either...'_

Such a shame.

Orochimaru slowly stood to his feet, and Kane and the Four Tails both stared at the man as he continued to smile.

"What do you say, Kane-kun, to having a little fun with the Kyuubi?" Orochimaru called out as his eyes connected with the boys. Kane said nothing as his eyes narrowed further.

Orochimaru opened his mouth as he began spitting out snakes, until a huge army of them began slithering on the ground towards the Kyuubi. Each snake opened its respective mouth and a sword slid out, similar to the way Orochimaru uses Kusanagi.

Kane's eyes widened at the display of pure power.

 _'The thing's Orochimaru can do!'_

As the Snake's approached the Kyuubi, the demon roared before slamming its fist in the ground, creating a huge shockwave that disintigrated the snake army.

Kane's eyes widened as he found himself being pushed backwards, struggling to stay standing.

 _'This is the power of the Kyuubi?!'_

As the dust settled, the Kyuubi roared once more before slamming both fists into the ground, sending rocks and debris flying around it.

Kane's eyes widened as the next thing he knew, Orochimaru was jumping away as giant clawed hands made of pure, red Chakra burst forth from beneath Orochimaru and began chasing after the man.

The Kyuubi's eyes passed by Kane swiftly as they tracked Orochimaru's movements, before quickly snapping back towards him. The Kyuubi seemed to _smirk_ , and Kane's eyes widened further.

One of the Chakra claws changed trajectory and began launching itself towards Kane. Kane jumped away, but found he could barely keep up with the speed of the claw. He began heating up his blood as he barely managed to dodge another swipe, the claw nearly grazing his cheek.

Kane looked on in shock as the claw's close proximity _burned_ his skin, and he cringed before jumping further away.

Both he and Orochimaru found themselves playing respective games of cat and mouse, attempting to avoid the claw's from grabbing them

Orochimaru threw his arm out towards the claw behind him, and watched carefully as a snake flew out from within his sleeve and began slithering around the arm. The snake hissed in pain as the Chakra from the arm burned the snake away, and Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

Orochimaru smirked before opening his mouth and retreating from his own body, the husk being massacred by the claw as Orochimaru began charging in Kane's direction.

Kane's eyes widened as he saw Orochimaru running straight for him.

He glanced towards the treeline in the distance nearest to him, where he could feel a water source. He began manipulating the water into the air and willed it come to him.

Kane's attention snapped back towards the claw still chasing him as he jumped away again, and he ducked as Orochimaru threw a punch and it sailed over his head. Kane looked passed Orochimaru only to find the second claw nearly on top of them both.

Kane fell backwards onto his back before kicking out at Orochimaru with both legs with all his might. Orochimaru smirked at him as he flew backwards, straight into the claw. The claw sliced at the Sannin, splitting him in half.

Kane's eyes narrowed as he realized that despite being split in half, he couldn't feel the man's blood.

Both halves of Orochimaru spat out dozens of snakes towards each other, and the snakes interconnected before bringing Orochimaru's body back together again.

Kane glanced at the water flying through the air towards him, and willed it to change course. Both he and Orochimaru jumped away from the two Chakra claws, and Kane watched as the water he controlled slammed into the unsuspecting Kyuubi, completely submerging the demon.

He willed the water to heat up to a boil, and his eyes widened as the Kyuubi didn't seem to care in the slightest.

The Kyuubi looked towards the sky as it _roared_ , and the water around it completely evaporated.

 _'Kami... I'm not fighting ninja, I'm fighting monsters!'_ Kane thought as he grimaced.

* * *

"Is that... Naruko?" Sasuke spoke with horror and awe as the three remaining members of Team 7 stared down at the battle taking place.

Sai glanced at the other two, "So it would seem there are things you haven't told me."

Kakashi kept his eye trained on the battle below, "It was on a need-to-know basis, and you didn't need to know."

Sai nodded in response.

"We need to help her! We need to help Kane! We've got to-" Sasuke announced as he prepared to jump, only to be halted by a hand on his shoulder. The boy turned to Kakashi with a glare.

"No, Sasuke. This battle is out of our league. We need to prepare for the aftermath instead."

Sasuke glared and grunted, but nodded as he turned back to the fight.

"Split up. Sai, stay and watch from here. Sasuke, circle the crater to the West and I'll go East. We're going to form a triangle and cover all sides. When we see an opening, we move in. Wait my for signal!"

The two nodded, and Kakashi and Sasuke took off.

* * *

Karin grimaced as Hidan landed next to her. She'd really been hoping the bastard had gotten himself killed.

"Ehhh, so it looks like Kane-sama isn't a Jinchuriki after all. That's wild!" Hidan smirked as he watched the battle taking place.

Karin didn't know what to do; this fight was _way_ out of her league, and already people were beginning to take notice. There were already _eight_ other observers to this little fight, and that wasn't even counting her or Hidan. Not only that, but there were _more_ ninja coming! A _lot_ more!

 _'Kane... Why didn't you tell us?'_

"Man, he really had us fooled! That dumbass organization Akatsuki's been hunting the wrong guy the entire time! They should be hunting the bitch instead!" Hidan cackled maniacally, and the girl glared at him for calling Naru-chan a bitch.

"Weren't you hunting Kane, too?"

The man grew a tick mark, "Oi oi! Shut your face!"

Karin turned back to the fight and her face took on a look of concern.

* * *

The Chakra claws returned to the Kyuubi, and the beast roared once again as it began shaking. Dozens of small red and blue balls of pure, concentrated Chakra flew off the demon and began floating in the air around it.

Kane and Orochimaru both stared in shock at the display of raw Chakra.

Orochimaru glanced at Kane for a moment.

 _'The Kyuubi is being hunted by the Akatsuki, but no matter what they use it for, I can always retrieve it in the future I'm sure... Kane-kun is the last of his clan, and with his death the Chi Sosa will be lost forever...'_

Orochimaru glanced back at the Kyuubi and shivered.

 _'But such raw power! It would be so much fun to have that!'_

The two continued to watch as the Kyuubi began bringing each ball of Chakra together, combining them into one large ball.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

 _'That's a lot of Chakra... That's going to deal some serious damage, no matter what it's used for... I'm not worried about what it could do to me, I'm sure I'll manage, but...'_

Orochimaru glanced at Kane once more.

 _'No. Kane-kun will be my next host. The Kyuubi can wait.'_

The Sannin smirked as he relaxed his stance, his Sharingan eyes spinning lazily.

"Well, it sure has been fun, hasn't it, Kane-kun?"

The boy said nothing as his eyes never trailed from the Kyuubi.

"Don't worry, I won't let it hurt you." The man chuckled as he slowly walked forward.

The Kyuubi's eyes narrowed in on the Sannin, and the man smirked.

His Mangekyou Sharingan flailed wildly, and then, the man found himself standing inside a sewer, a large cage before him with the Kyuubi on the other side.

The demon snarled as it stared back at him.

"Those eyes! Those disgusting eyes!" The Nine Tails spoke lowly, power radiating from every word.

"Yes. These eyes. Beautiful, aren't they?" Orochimaru smirked, and the Kyuubi roared in response as it banged against its cage.

"Now now, none of that Nine Tails. You _will_ obey this eye. I command it." Orochimaru's smirk widened as the demon seemed to become even more enraged at his words, glaring down at him with ferocity.

 _"Go to sleep, Kyuubi."_ Orochimaru commanded as his Mangekyou made eye contact with the Kyuubi, spinning wildly.

The Kyuubi instantly stilled, its eyes becoming droopy.

And then, they closed.

* * *

Kane shielded his eyes as the Kyuubi suddenly _dropped_ the condensed ball of Chakra from the air, the Chakra ball hitting the ground and _exploding._

As the dust settled, Kane looked on warily as Orochimaru stood perfectly straight, smirk in place and Sharingan eyes spinning slowly at the body of Naruko Namikaze. The girl was curled up into a ball and completely unconscious, but looked fine for the most part.

Kane sprinted towards the girl immediately, throwing several kunai towards Orochimaru as he did so. The Sannin chuckled as he casually batted the projectiles away, and then charged at Kane, pulling out a kunai of his own.

The two Shinobi clashed, kunai on kunai, as Kane glared and Orochimaru smirked.

"What's the matter, Kane-kun? Using kunai, of all things, against me? Are you concerned?"

Kane grit his teeth in frustration as he glared at the man.

Orochimaru's smirk grew, "You have so much strength, Kane-kun... But your strength is conditional. With no water and no blood around, you have _nothing!_ You're completely at the mercy of the environment in which you battle! A ninja like you will never defeat me."

Kane's eyes snapped passed the man to see a dark haired boy he'd never seen before gently picking Naruko up, checking her over for wounds.

Then, his eyes snapped over to a familiar sight.

Kakashi Hatake, charging towards them.

Orochimaru followed his eyes, and smirked as Kabuto engaged Kakashi in battle.

Kane glanced around.

 _'Where's Sasuke then?'_

Orochimaru jumped away as a scythe swung at his previous location, Hidan landing beside Kane.

"Kane!" Karin yelled out as she soon joined him as well. Kane felt relief at seeing the girl unharmed.

Kabuto dashed away from Kakashi and landed beside Orochimaru.

Kane's eyes widened as he soon realized that both his group and Orochimaru's group were surrounded. Kakashi's squad had been joined by a few familiar faces.

Kane glared over his shoulder at Rock Lee and Neji Hyuuga, and Tenten landed beside Kakashi.

 _'What are they still doing here?! I thought they took Fugaku back to the Leaf!'_

"Orochimaru-sama, there are more ninja heading our way. They'll be here any second."

Orochimaru frowned thoughtfully as he stared at Kane, before sighing almost sadly.

"So unfortunate. Don't worry, Kane-kun, I'm sure we'll meet again." Orochimaru smirked as both he and Kabuto caught fire and began burning away. Kakashi's eyes widened as he charge the two, _Lightning Blade_ in hand as he struck, but before he reached them the two completely disintegrated.

Kane glared as he and his two teammates got into battle positions, the four Konoha Shinobi surrounding them as Sai stood off to the side, carrying Naruko bridal-style.

"It's over, Kane. You're coming back to Konoha." Kakashi ordered, and the boy snarled at him in response.

"You're right. It _is_ over." An unknown voice spoke out, and everyone turned to find the fifteen Mizu Shinobi quickly surrounding them. The leader looked _furious._

"Ah... Please, lay down your weapons!" Chojuro announced.

"Shit..." Kakashi sighed in annoyance as he dropped his kunai and held both hands up in a gesture of surrender, the rest of the Konoha Shinobi doing the same.

* * *

"We're not alone, Kabuto." Orochimaru said as he glanced behind him, and quickly spun his body and jumped away as a giant fireball flew passed the two Sound ninja.

The two landed softly on the Earth below, and soon found themselves facing off against two ninja adorning Leaf Village headbands.

Orochimaru couldn't help but smirk when he saw the taller ninja's right eye was covered by bandages.

"Have you come to donate your other eye to me, Fugaku-kun?"

The man narrowed his one eye and said nothing.

Orochimaru glanced at the younger Uchiha standing beside his father, "Isn't it funny, Sasuke-kun, how both your sensei and your father are missing an eye now?"

The boy growled at him, and Orochimaru's smirk widened.

"Did you think, Orochimaru, that I'd let you walk away after you stole the eyes of my clan?" Fugaku spoke and Orochimaru couldn't help but snicker.

"What are you going to do about it, Fugaku-kun? You're no match for me anymore." He stated it as if it were a simple, obvious fact.

"Perhaps not. But my son is." Fugaku said as he placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

Kabuto guffawed, "You can't be serious."

Orochimaru's smile faded as he glared at Sasuke, his eyes taking on a calculating look.

Fugaku simply stared at the two of them, his face hard.

"I'm very serious."

* * *

"Chief, that's Red Skin!" One of the Mizu Jounin whispered in his ear.

"Red Skin! What are you doing here?" The leader called out, and Chojuro looked confused.

"Who's Red Skin?"

Kakashi's eye narrowed.

Kane shrugged casually, "Just passing through."

The Jounin sneered at him, "Well, get lost then!"

Kane and Hidan both smirked as everyone else looked surprised, including the other Mizu Shinobi.

"Sir? He's a Missing Ninja! We should capture him, too!"

The leader scowled, "The Mizukage is already going to have my head for letting these Leaf Shinobi do whatever the hell they wanted for so long! Just look at this place!" He gestured towards the huge crater the groups stood in, "She is _not_ going to be happy with me. The last thing I'm going to do is give her even _more_ reason to be pissed! She wants Red Skin left alone? Fine. We've got bigger fish to fry right now anyway!"

The leader gave Kane a pointed look, and Kane nodded in response as he, Hidan and Karin began walking away, right towards Kakashi.

As he began passing Kakashi, the man put his hand on his shoulder, halting him and gripping him tightly as he glared down at him with his single eye.

Kane just stared back emotionlessly.

Kakashi's hand eased up and slowly dropped back to his side as Kakashi glanced away and stared forward, glare still in place.

Kane smirked to himself as he walked passed the man, helpless to stop him.

Karin ducked and shied away from the white haired Jounin as she quickly scurried passed him. Hidan smirked and pat his cheek casually.

"Better luck next time, dumbass."

The three walked away and quickly took to the trees.

The Mizu Jounin glared at the Konoha ninja.

"Alright, get moving!"

* * *

"You know, it's funny, fighting against Kane-kun certainly is... Restricting!" Orochimaru snarked before biting both his thumbs.

Kabuto was carefully hidden in the forest nearby, staying out of the way. Orochimaru deemed this battle too much for his skills, and ordered him to stay out of it.

"Thankfully, he's not here anymore!" Orochimaru yelled before slamming his hands onto the ground, _"Summoning Jutsu!"_

The two Uchiha glared as three giant snakes charged them, hissing at them as they did so.

Orochimaru stood up and smirked, activating his Sharingan and Mangekyou Sharingan as he watched on in interest.

 _'Show me what the Uchiha Clan has to offer!'_

The two Uchiha nodded at each other before performing hand signs simultaneously.

 _Tiger Ram Monkey Boar Horse Tiger!_

 _"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"_ The two Uchiha yelled out before launching twin giant fireballs at the snakes, burning them away as they hissed and roared in pain.

Sasuke's Sharingan picked up on Orochimaru's movements before he even reached him, and Sasuke quickly brought up a kunai to block the Sannin as their kunai clashed.

Orochimaru smirked at him, before casually glancing to the side, straight towards Fugaku.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

 _"Father!_ Watch out!"

Fugaku turned just in time to see a second Orochimaru appear and impale him with Kusanagi.

Fugaku _burst_ into a cloud of smoke, and Orochimaru smirked as Fugaku appeared behind him. The snake Sannin quickly hopped away before being burned alive by another fireball, and Sasuke slashed the clone in front of him across the neck, dispersing it.

Orochimaru threw his arm out and a single large snake burst forth, flying at Fugaku. The Uchiha Patriarchs single Sharingan spun wildly as he dodged it, and Sasuke slammed a kunai into the top of the snake's head.

 _"Chidori Nagashi!"_ Sasuke called out as a bolt of lightning flew at Orochimaru.

 _"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"_ Orochimaru called back out as a giant wall of mud appeared, blocking the lightning.

Both Uchiha's watched as twin snakes flew around the mud wall, flying straight towards them.

Fugaku stepped forward, _"Fire Style: Fire Breath Jutsu!"_

A constant stream of fire flew out and burned the two snakes alive before slamming into the mud wall, destroying it after several seconds of consistent barrage.

Orochimaru was nowhere to be found.

Sasuke looked down and jumped away as the snake burst forth from below.

 _"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"_ The Sannin screamed as a torrent of air flew at Sasuke, and the boy screamed out in pain as the attack collided with him, sending him flying.

 _"Sasuke!"_ Fugaku called out in fear and Orochimaru cackled madly.

"This is your precious prodigy, Fugaku-kun?! He's weak! He's nowhere near-"

Orochimaru gasped as he looked down, finding a line of lightning flowing through a hole in his stomach. Orochimaru looked up to find Sasuke staring at him, the lightning connected to his fingers as his Sharingan eyes spun lazily.

"You... How?" Orochimaru realized where he was. He'd burst forth from the Earth, but he'd never actually performed his wind jutsu.

 _'Genjutsu!'_

Orochimaru grit his teeth as he glared at the boy, the lightning dissipating and Sasuke relaxing his arm, taking a neutral stance.

"You got caught the moment you looked into these eyes, Orochimaru. You may possess the Sharingan, but you are _no_ Uchiha. You'll _never_ utilize the Sharingan to it's fullest potential." Sasuke smirked at him, and the Sannin felt rage course through his body.

Orochimaru smirked angrily at him, "Is that so, Sasuke-kun?"

The boy's eyes narrowed as the hole in Orochimaru's stomach filled itself with snakes before reforming completely.

"Let's test that theory, shall we?!"

Orochimaru's Mangekyou began spinning wildly.

 _"Sasuke! Move!"_ Fugaku called out, but it was too late.

Sasuke screamed in pain as he found himself encompassed in black flames.

 _'The Amaterasu!'_ Orochimaru realized with glee as he cringed, gripping his eye in pain as it began to bleed.

Fugaku was sprinting towards his son and immediately his eye formed the Mangekyou as well, and he willed the black flames to dissipate as Sasuke collapsed on his hands and knees, panting heavily.

Orochimaru smirked, _'It's a good thing I didn't use it against Kane-kun, kukuku'_

Orochimaru smiled his vile, nasty smile at the two Uchiha as Fugaku stood protectively in front of his son.

Kabuto smirked from his hiding spot.

 _'Nobody can defeat Lord Orochimaru... Nobody!'_

"I'll be taking that eye now, Fugaku-kun."

Fugaku glared and then gasped in surprise as he found himself being pushed to the side by Sasuke.

 _"Fire Style: Great Dragon Flame Jutsu!"_ Sasuke called out as he shot a giant burst of fire up at the Sannin in the shape of a dragon.

Orochimaru merely ducked slightly and smirked as the jutsu flew above his head and into the skies above.

"Where are you aiming, Sasuke-kun?"

The boy grimaced as he collapsed onto one knee again.

Orochimaru sighed almost sadly, "I'd heard such great stories about you, Sasuke-kun. To think you would turn out to be such a disappointment. I even came to scout you out myself, recently... Do you remember when your team came in contact with several Sound Jounin, along with Kabuto? That was all for _you,_ Sasuke-kun... I wanted to see if you'd unlocked the Mangekyou Sharingan!"

The Sannin scoffed, "But you hadn't. To think, you haven't even unlocked your birthright yet... Such a disappointment you turned out to be. Definitely nowhere near the level of your brother, Itachi."

Sasuke glared hatefully at that remark, and Fugaku put both hands on his shoulders to relax him.

"Don't talk about Itachi!"

Orochimaru smirked, "You know, once I collect Kane-kun's body, I'll be going for the Rinnegan."

Fugaku's eyes widened at the mention of the fabled Rinnegan, but Sasuke didn't care, "Don't talk about Kane!"

Orochimaru chuckled, "I'm going to take Kane-kun's body as my own, and then the Chi Sosa will be mine."

"Shutup!" Sasuke snarled.

"Then, I'm going to take the Rinnegan with Kane's powers, and I'll turn my sights towards Itachi. I'll kill him, and take his eyes as well."

"Shut, UP!"

"I don't need them, I'm just going to collect them. Like a trophy." Orochimaru's smirk grew ever wider.

 _"Shut UP!"_

"And then, I'll destroy the Hidden Leaf Village... And I'll slaughter the Uchiha clan, personally! I'll be the only Sharingan wielder across the elemental nations!"

 _"I said SHUTUP!"_ Sasuke yelled, his Sharingan spinning wildly.

"Don't worry, Sasuke-kun... I'll make sure to kill your family last. I'll make sure your _mother_ knows what a failure her child turned out to be!"

 _ **"SHUTUP!"**_ Sasuke roared as his eyes changed shape.

Orochimaru gasped in shock and pain as he found himself being consumed by the black flames of _Amaterasu._

 _"What?! How?! How did you-"_ Orochimaru's questions were answered with a single glance at Sasuke's eyes.

 _"Mangekyou!"_ He breathed out as he began burning.

Fugaku stared in shock at what he was witnessing.

Sasuke snarled as the Sannin began screaming in pain, falling to the ground in agony.

"Sasuke, how-" Fugaku started, but found he couldn't come up with the right words.

"To unlock the Mangekyou, all you need is a powerful emotional response..." Sasuke spoke lowly, his brand new Mangekyou Sharingan eyes spinning wildly, "I've got the most powerful emotion there is, Father. I've got the desire to _protect those I hold precious!"_

Fugaku stared at his child in complete awe. This had never happened before, in the history of the Uchiha clan!

The first Uchiha to unlock the Mangekyou through _love._

 _'Thank you, Naruko... You taught me this... You taught me the strength that you can only receive by protecting your precious people... This is all thanks to you!'_ Sasuke thought as he watched the Sannin still, his body motionless.

The clearing was quiet for several moments.

"Sasuke, you-" Fugaku began, but instantly went silent when Sasuke whirled around to face him and shoved him with all his might.

Orochimaru _burst_ forth from the ground, his eyes wild and angry as he swung Kusanagi at Sasuke, slicing his torso and creating a deep gash as the boy cried out in pain.

Orochimaru whirled around just in time to see Fugaku's Mangekyou focused in on him, and the Sannin threw his sword at the Uchiha before he could activate his jutsu, forcing the man to dodge and lose focus.

Fugaku gasped in surprise as he suddenly found a blue, glowing hand aimed at his neck, Kabuto standing behind him.

Orochimaru smirked and turned back towards Sasuke, the boy gasping in pain as he glared up at Orochimaru.

"Well done, Sasuke-kun... You almost had me there." The Sannin laughed, and Sasuke turned and _ran._

Orochimaru's eyes went wild as Kabuto and Fugaku stared in shock, "Where are you going, _Sasuke-kun?!"_ Orochimaru screamed as he chased the boy.

Sasuke panted as he ran as fast as his body could manage, gasping in pain with every step he took. He whirled around just in time to dodge the bite of a snake, and quickly sliced the head off it with a kunai as he glared at Orochimaru.

"Don't run, Sasuke-kun! I haven't taken your eyes yet!" Orochimaru sneered, his own pair of Sharingan spinning threateningly.

Sasuke stood up straight as he grimaced, his glare still on the snake Sannin.

Then, he smirked.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he watched the young Uchiha hold his hand up towards the sky.

"What are you doing, Sasuke-kun?"

"Orochimaru of the Sannin!" Sasuke barked out, and the man's eyes widened slightly at his suddenly forceful and authoritative tone, "You have committed crimes against the Uchiha Clan that can not be forgiven! As heir to the Konoha Police Corps, It falls upon me to deal out your punishment!"

Orochimaru stared in complete bewilderment before throwing his head back and cackling madly.

His laughs stopped as his eyes took in the sight above him.

Hadn't it been a clear day today?

When had a storm begun rolling in?

His eyes snapped to Sasuke's, and he felt horror flow within him.

Sasuke smirked as a giant dragon of pure electricity began flying above Sasuke's hand throughout the sky.

Orochimaru stared up in complete disbelief at the giant dragon made of pure lightning.

 _'How?! When did he-'_

His eyes widened as he realized.

 _'When he used that fire dragon jutsu! He wasn't aiming for me; he was aiming for the sky! He tricked me!'_

And as the legendary snake Sannin stared at the young Uchiha heir, he knew.

He'd been bested.

 _"Vanish, with the roar of thunder!"_

Orochimaru never got the chance to scream. He never got the chance to deny reality. He never got the chance to beg.

He was just gone.

Kabuto released Fugaku in pure shock as the aftershock of the powerful jutsu gave way to reveal Orochimaru nearly completely disintegrated, only several charred and severed appendages remaining. Kabuto shook his head in denial of reality before quickly running away.

Fugaku stared down at his youngest child, and felt pride swell within him.

Sasuke glanced up at his father as he fell to one knee, panting with one eye closed.

And Fugaku spoke the words to Sasuke he hadn't heard in years... Words that never failed to bring great joy and pride to the young Uchiha.

"That's my boy."

* * *

End of Chapter 61


	64. Chapter 62

_'Well, it went better than I expected.'_ Minato thought to himself as he glanced over his shoulder.

Four Konoha Anbu guards, Kakashi's squad minus Sasuke, Neji's squad, and three Mizu squadrons were all keeping pace behind him. The numerous groups of ninja were heading out of Water Country, having left the Hidden Mist Village hours earlier. The Mizu Shinobi would see that they left Water Country, and then return home.

To think, he'd had to come all the way out to the Hidden Mist Village to clear up this entire debacle.

 _'Sending Team 7 after Kane was a mistake...'_

Still, it could've gone worse, he relented.

The Mizukage sent him a missive claiming to have captured his teams, and she was _not_ happy. He'd sent ninja to her lands without her permission, and not only that, the ninja she'd sent to escort the one's he _did_ have permission for were murdered.

By Orochimaru.

A Leaf Village Missing Ninja.

She was _not_ pleased.

Minato had come to Mizu fully expecting to have to grant the woman numerous boons and apologies to make up for this. The woman could have easily kept his precious daughter, too, but the woman wasn't stupid. She knew Mizu couldn't handle diving into another war, they'd only recently begun fixing up their own country. Keeping Konoha's princess locked up would most certainly not be allowed by the Leaf populace.

Still, Konoha was in the wrong here, and both sides knew it.

And yet, upon discovering the details, he'd learned something interesting...

Kane had an alias in the Land of Water. He was known by the populace as 'Red Skin', and he was quite famous among the Mizu Shinobi. In fact, the Mizukage specifically gave Kane leeway for the help he'd done in stabilizing the country.

She'd given leeway to Kane.

Konoha's Jinchuriki.

The same Jinchuriki that the entire Country of Fire was searching for.

Essentially, the woman had been harboring the boy, and she hadn't even known it. Not only that, but her ninja _let him go._ Team Seven had successfully surrounded Kane, and _her_ ninja helped him escape.

Needless to say, her tune started to change the moment she found out 'Red Skin' was Kane Sanguis.

In the end, the two agreed to let bygones be bygones. Mizu would forgive Konoha for entering their territory without permission, and Konoha would forgive Mizu for harboring their missing Jinchuriki, on the premise that from now on they would attempt to capture Kane should he be spotted.

 _'Really, I'm just glad Kane-kun has been in Water Country. Were he in Earth or Lightning Country, they would almost assuredly capture him with the intention of keeping him for themselves...'_

Both Earth Country and Lightning Country were ready for war at any time. They wouldn't hesitate to fight Konoha for possession of the strongest Biju in existence, _especially_ now that most of the demons had gone missing due to being captured by the Akatsuki.

Minato glanced back at his daughter. She'd been acting strangely ever since he arrived, and he was sure something happened on the mission to cause the girl to act strangely. He doubted it was anything good.

He'd talk to her one on one when they got home.

 _'Really, things could've gone so much worse...'_

Minato smiled slightly to himself. Before receiving the missive from the Mizukage, Fugaku and Sasuke Uchiha returned home, and told them everything they knew.

 _'After all... There's one less Missing Ninja from Konoha out there now.'_

Minato couldn't be more pleased to hear of the Snake Sannin's demise.

* * *

Kane couldn't help but smirk as the barmaid handed Hidan a drink, sending the man a flirty smile before giving both himself and Karin a polite smile instead and walking off.

 _'It's funny... There's not a single person out there that doesn't know my name, and yet most people don't even know what I look like. If it weren't for the Bingo Books, I'd probably never get recognized at all.'_

The same barmaid returned, handing something to Hidan and giving him a wink before gently brushing against him as she left again. Hidan gave the girl a disgusted look as she walked away.

"Don't enjoy the attention, huh?" Karin asked with a smirk and the ex-Akatsuki member gave her an annoyed look in return.

"Shit like that doesn't interest me. How does that benefit Jashin-sama in any way? It doesn't! I live to serve Jashin-sama! Glory be to his name!" Hidan slammed his fist onto the counter as he began chugging his drink.

Karin gave him a disgusted look, "You aren't interested in women but you're interested in alcohol..."

"Shutup, bitch!"

"Stop calling me a bitch, you bastard!" Karin snarled as she stood up and raised a fist at the man.

Hidan stood up as well and glared at the woman hatefully, "You're lucky Kane-sama needs you. You're so lucky! The _moment_ Kane-sama gives the word, I'm going to _gut you._ "

Karin flinched and frightfully sat back down as she saw the look in his eyes.

 _'Kami... He's serious!'_

"Relax, you two." Kane snapped as he glared at Hidan. The man looked like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar as he quickly sat back down and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Karin placed a hand over her chest, attempting to calm her racing heart as she decided to change the subject.

"Kane, why didn't you tell us you weren't a Jinchuriki?"

Kane shrugged, "The less people that know, the better."

Karin frowned, "But why? If people knew-" The girl stopped as her mouth dropped open in shock. Kane furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the redhead, wondering where her thoughts had taken her.

The girl smirked slyly at him, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"You're doing it for Naru-chan!" Karin spoke with glee, as if she were a schoolgirl talking about her crush.

"What?" Kane asked in confusion.

"You're doing all of this to protect Naru-chan! You don't want the Akatsuki to hunt her! That's why you're going along with it!" Karin's smile could've lit up the entire room with how happy and energetic it was.

Kane stared at her blankly, before rolling his eyes.

"Sure."

Karin giggled to herself as Hidan continued to down drink after drink.

Kane smiled slightly to himself as he watched the two. They were both crazy in their own way - especially Hidan - but really, he would admit to himself that he enjoyed being around them. He was _comfortable_ around them.

They were his teammates.

Kane scowled internally at himself. They weren't his teammates! They were his allies, at best... His comrades. His tools. People to use to benefit himself.

Hidan stood up, saying he needed to go to the bathroom before slipping on some of the drink he spilled earlier and falling onto his ass. Karin began laughing at his misfortune, her guffaws quickly leading into an unladylike barrage of unattractive snorts, as Hidan began cursing at her.

Despite his previous thoughts, he couldn't help but enjoy his time with these two.

Kane grinned as he began laughing, too.

* * *

"Show me." Minato commanded and Sasuke nodded before activating his Mangekyou Sharingan.

Minato smiled at the boy, his teammates and sensei standing behind him.

"Excellent! You truly are worthy to bear your clan's name, Sasuke-kun." Minato grinned widely at him.

Sasuke puffed his chest out ever so slightly at the praise.

Minato folded his hands in front of his face as he stared at the group seriously, his smile fading away.

"We have something important to discuss."

Naruko cringed and Sasuke deflated slightly.

"Is it about our failure?" Naruko spoke with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

Minato shook his head, "No."

Everyone looked surprised.

Minato stood up and walked around his desk before leaning his back against it and crossing his arms.

"What I'm about to tell you is an S-Class secret that only a few people know. You are to keep this to yourselves, and under no circumstance are you to repeat this to anyone. Understood?"

The three students nodded before Kakashi spoke up, "Hai, Hokage-sama."

Minato stared at each person individually for several seconds before nodding.

"The Mangekyou Sharingan can control the Nine Tails."

Silence.

Then, Naruko burst forward, grabbing him by the arm as she looked up at him in hope and excitement, "Are you serious?!"

Minato smiled and nodded at his daughter, and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. He turned his attention towards Sasuke, "You'll need to learn exactly how to do it, but I don't imagine it will be too difficult. Your Father already knows about this, too. He's agreed to teach you how to do so, but according to him it's mostly instinctual. You can ask him for details."

Sasuke nodded in response.

Naruko looked like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders.

"From now on, it'll be your responsibility to watch over Naruko, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke frowned in thought, "Why can't Kakashi do it, then? He has the Mangekyou, too."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. He hadn't even known the Mangekyou held such power. _Could_ he do it?

Minato shook his head, "No. According to Fugaku, you need to be of Uchiha blood to do it. Simply having the Mangekyou doesn't grant you such power."

Naruko piped up, "But wait! Orochi-teme did it, and he's not an Uchiha! At least, I think he did... Everyone says he did something to calm me down, so it makes sense that he used his Mangekyou, doesn't it?" The girl trailed off to a mumble at the end.

"He was an Uchiha. Technically. He took the body of an Uchiha, and so for all intents and purposes... Orochimaru was an Uchiha."

Sasuke scowled, displeased with what he was hearing, "That snake was _no_ Uchiha."

Minato smiled disarmingly at the boy, "It doesn't really matter anymore, now does it? You took care of it."

Sasuke smirked.

"Anyway, from now on, Sasuke-kun, it's up to you to keep Naru-chan here under control. We don't want anymore... Incidents like what happened in Water Country."

Naruko flinched at the reminder, and Sasuke nodded.

"It won't happen again! Next time, we'll bring Kane home for sure!" Naruko spoke proudly, as if they'd already succeeded.

Minato frowned.

"That's... Another thing we need to talk about."

The four looked at him curiously.

"I won't be sending Team 7 after Kane-kun anymore."

The shock on the four members faces quickly gave way to outrage for Naruko and Sasuke.

"What do you mean?! Who else would you send?!" Naruko snapped.

"I haven't decided yet." Minato said simply.

Sasuke grit his teeth, "Why would you take us off? You sent us out, and we almost had him! We may have run into some complications, but we nearly had him, and we even killed off Orochimaru in the process!"

"And yet, you didn't succeed in the mission I gave you. The four of you failed to retrieve Kane-kun, you failed to stay hidden from Water Country Shinobi, and Naruko even lost control and released _four_ tails of the Kyuubi." Minato glared at the four of them, and Naruko shrank back in response as Sasuke looked miffed.

"Hokage-sama, with all due respect, Kane is a member of Team 7. It should be Team 7 that retrieves him." Kakashi spoke calmly.

"Yeah! And the thing with the stupid fox won't happen again, I won't let it! And even if I mess up again, Sasuke can stop it! You said it yourself!" Naruko cried out.

"My decision is final." Minato said as he continued to glare at the four.

"Dad! You can't do this!" Naruko spoke in disbelief, her face a look of betrayal.

"Take the next few days off. I'll call the four of you back when I have a mission for you. Dismissed." He spoke with finality.

"Dad! You-"

 _"Dismissed."_

Naruko glared at the floor as she clenched her fists in anger before storming out of the office, the others following the girl quietly.

Minato let out a quiet sigh.

* * *

"What are you doing, Kane?" Karin asked curiously as she watched him sit in a meditative position, his skin burning red hot.

"I'm training my body." Kane replied simply as he clinched his teeth together tightly.

"Training your body?"

Kane nodded as he cooled his blood off with a relieved sigh before standing and stretching.

"I need to move beyond this limitation I have. I can only heat up my blood for as long as I can deal with the pain that comes with it. When I fought Orochimaru, I knew that the moment I stopped heating up my blood, I was finished. Genjutsu has always been the biggest weakness of a Sanguis, and I'm no different."

Kane paused as he looked towards the sky with a small frown.

"And yet, I have something no other Sanguis has ever had before... I have a way to combat Genjutsu."

Karin raised an eyebrow, "Combat Genjutsu?"

Kane nodded, "So long as I heat up my blood, I'm impervious to Genjutsu. The pain involved with burning my own body from the inside out makes it impossible for a Genjutsu to effect me."

Kane cracked his neck as Karin looked thoughtful.

"Itachi Uchiha is one of the remaining members of the Akatsuki." Kane spoke drily.

Karin looked taken aback, "Itachi... Uchiha?"

Kane nodded, "Sasuke's elder brother."

Karin's eyes widened, "Sasuke's... Brother?"

Kane rolled his eyes. She was starting to sound like a broken record.

"Yeah. Orochimaru gave me all the information he had on him. He has the Mangekyou Sharingan, and his prowess with Genjutsu might be the deadliest I've ever heard of. That's not a good thing, considering it's my weakness... But If I can just master heating up my blood consistently, Itachi Uchiha shouldn't stand a chance against me."

Kane wondered about the validity of his bold statement. Maybe he was being arrogant again...

 _'No, I've learned everything about Itachi... So long as I don't let him hit me with his Tsukuyomi, which he shouldn't be able to so long as I'm in intense pain, I should be fine. He can't use Amaterasu on me; it'd kill me, and they can't do that, and that's assuming I let him hit me to begin with... No, Itachi shouldn't be able to defeat me.'_

His partner, Kisame, wasn't even a factor in Kane's mind.

 _'Honestly, I hope Kisame is there when I fight Itachi. The man's likely to do more harm than good, giving his skillsets... It sure would be ironic to kill the two of them with one of Kisame's very own jutsu.'_

Karin frowned thoughtfully, "So what will you do?"

Kane raised an eyebrow at her as he gave her an annoyed look. Hadn't she been listening at all?

"I'm going to master this technique."

This time is was Karin who rolled her eyes, "Yeah, no shit. I meant what will you do about Itachi? He's Sasuke's elder brother, right? Will you... Will you kill him, too?"

Kane frowned at the girl before sitting back down into a meditative position and heating his blood again.

Karin gained a tick mark on her forehead as she gave him a frustrated look, "You're just going to ignore me?!"

Kane ignored her.

Karin huffed as she stomped away, mumbling curses about him as she left.

As soon as the girl was out of sight, Kane cooled his blood off and sighed to himself.

 _'Am I going to kill Itachi Uchiha?'_

The question had plagued Kane since the day he decided he would hunt down the Akatsuki. Itachi Uchiha _warned_ him about the Akatsuki... He was Sasuke's elder brother, and both he and Naruko seemed to have complete faith in the man's innocence.

Kane had no intentions of killing Itachi Uchiha. He knew, if he were being honest, he would answer the question with a resounding "No". He would find Itachi, get as much information out of him as he could, and then... Well, he didn't know what he'd do after that. Let him go, perhaps. Send him back to Konoha? Kane wasn't sure, but he wouldn't kill him.

At least, he didn't plan on it.

And yet...

Kane glared at the ground in frustration.

He'd learned, long ago, that he wasn't perfect. Far from it, in fact. Sometimes, he wondered about himself. He wondered about the stability of his own mind. Jinchuriki were known to go mad due to isolation and loneliness, and he liked to think he handled his situation better than most. Certainly, he'd handled it better than somebody like Gaara.

But he hadn't come out of it unaffected, either.

His only goal in life was to survive. No matter what, he would continue to live.

To live, he needed to fight. Fight, and _win._

During his time in Water Country, Kane had discovered what he believed to be his biggest character flaw. Bigger than his selfishness, bigger than his lack of empathy, bigger than anything, in his opinion.

 _Kane hated losing._

Losing meant giving up control to the enemy; giving up his life and his survival. It made him feel weak. Helpless. Like he was still that small little Genin that couldn't do a thing for himself. It was something that drove him nuts; not once, not a single time, had he gone a full day without thinking back to his fight with Sasori of the Red Sand. He'd lost _twice_ to the man in a single battle, despite the outcome, and it drove him _insane._

When he realized he could have died to the new, masked Akatsuki member when they fought him and Deidara, Kane had felt _wild._ There was no other way to put it; he felt like he'd go crazy if he didn't vent his frustration out somehow.

It was why he'd snapped the life from Deidara.

He'd played it off as best as he could, pretending it had been done petulantly and without forethought, but in reality, he'd just... Snapped. He couldn't handle losing, and he'd essentially lost to the masked man. It reminded him of his loss to Sasori, and he couldn't stand it.

So, no, Kane had no intentions of killing Itachi Uchiha.

But if there was ever an Akatsuki member, other than Sasori, that could defeat him; it'd be Itachi Uchiha.

And if he were to find himself struggling against the man...

Well, sometimes he just lost control.

Kane liked to blame it on the Sanguis Clan's bloodlust he'd heard about from Yuka-sensei so much. According to her, he was the least bloodthirsty Sanguis she'd seen in generations. Maybe ever. She wasn't exactly happy about that.

Maybe this was the trade-off.

Maybe instead of bloodlust, he'd gained this imperfection.

Maybe it was because of his childhood trauma.

Maybe it was just another strike on a long list of things that made him a freak.

In the end...

Did it matter?

* * *

The dark haired man opened onyx eyes slowly as he gazed out into the distance, the setting sun slightly shielded by twin sloping mountains as he observed forests and rivers intermixing.

"Something wrong, Itachi?" His partner asked as he stared curiously at the back of his head.

Itachi kept quiet, mulling over his internal thoughts as the man behind him stood and waited patiently for a response.

"Times are changing, Kisame." He finally spoke, the words carried away by the light breeze as he brushed his hair away with one palm.

"Hmm?" Kisame spoke as a way of asking for clarification.

The two fell into a deep, thoughtful silence once more.

"It's nothing. Let's go." Itachi spoke as he turned to face the fish-man.

Kisame nodded, his shark-like gaze attempting to penetrate through Itachi's skull and read his inner thoughts.

The two began their search for the Kyuubi Jinchuriki once more.

* * *

End of Chapter 62


	65. Chapter 63

_"-and just because you can't keep up, doesn't mean I should intentionally handicap myself!" The blonde haired Namikaze spoke with a cheeky grin at the Uchiha heir walking beside her. The two were casually strolling through the streets of the Hidden Leaf Village, having just come back from one of their first few C-Ranks since being promoted to Chunin._

 _"You wouldn't stand a chance if you couldn't use the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and you know it." Sasuke responded with a glare, although there was no real heat within it._

 _"Pfft! I could totally take out a Jounin without Shadow Clones!" Naruko argued back._

 _"As if. Unlike you, I'm actually strong enough to defeat a Jounin... You just have to swarm them and hope they don't have a way to counter your clones. The moment you fight a Jounin that can defeat your clones, you're done for!"_

 _Naruko scowled, "Not un!"_

 _Sasuke smirked. The girl had resorted to childish arguing; that was a win for him, and they both knew it._

 _Naruko gained a tick mark on her forehead at the look on his face, "Shutup, you bastard!"_

 _Sasuke was about to respond, when something caught his attention. He turned to face two civilian women that were gossiping to each other, and his eyes narrowed._

 _Naruko gave him a confused look, "Something wrong, bastard?"_

 _Sasuke shook his head slowly, "I don't know... I thought I heard-"_

 _"Yeah! The Sanguis brat!" One of the women confirmed as the other tsked in annoyance._

 _Naruko and Sasuke both stopped as they frowned at the two women. Why were they discussing Kane?_

 _"Good riddance, I say! I'll sleep better at night now." The woman huffed as the other nodded in agreement._

 _"Totally!"_

 _Naruko and Sasuke shared a look before they began approaching the civilian women, when suddenly they found their sensei appear in front of them._

 _"Kakashi!" Naruko spoke in surprise, "What's up?"_

 _Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the look on Kakashi's face._

 _Something was wrong._

 _"I figured... It would be best if you heard it from me." Kakashi spoke slowly, cautiously._

 _"Heard what?" Naruko asked in confusion._

 _Kakashi closed his eye slowly, "It's about Kane."_

 _Naruko's face lit up slightly as Sasuke's darkened._

 _"What about him? Is it something good?"_

 _Kakashi shook his head, and the girl's mood dropped as her face began to pale._

 _"Is... Is he okay?"_

 _Kakashi said nothing, his eye still closed tightly, as if he were in pain._

 _"Kakashi... What happened?" Sasuke spoke up, and Naruko glanced at him for a moment before becoming even more concerned at the serious look he was giving their Jounin sensei._

 _"Kane abandoned the village."_

 _Sasuke's mouth dropped open in shock as Naruko went white as a sheet._

 _"W... What?" Sasuke stuttered out, unsure if he heard him properly._

 _Kakashi kept silent, his eye still closed._

 _"This... Is this some kind of a joke? That's not funny, Kakashi!" Naruko snapped as she bared her teeth at the man._

 _Kakashi's eye snapped open, a solemn yet serious gleam shining within, "It's not a joke."_

 _The three stood in complete silence for several moments, until the words of several passing Chunin reached them._

 _"Hey, did you hear? Kane Sanguis left Konoha! He ran away!"_

 _"What?! Seriously?!"_

 _"Yeah!"_

 _"Holy shit! Maybe he'll get himself killed while he's at it!"_

 _The Chunin's words faded away as they rounded a corner, and the three continued standing in the middle of the street in silence._

 _"I... This isn't real! This is a dream! Or... Or some kind of sick, twisted joke! KAI!" Naruko suddenly shouted as she attempted to dispel a non-existent Genjutsu._

 _Sasuke continued to stand there, his expression one of pure shock and disbelief as his mouth remained open, an unbecoming look for an elite Uchiha._

 _"Kane ran away four days ago, and yesterday the Anbu squadron sent after him returned empty handed... By now, he's probably even escaped Fire Country. He-"_

 _"Shutup! Stop lying, Kakashi!" Naruko nearly screamed as she stomped her foot._

 _Kakashi went silent as he closed his eye in shame and regret._

 _"Kane wouldn't leave! Konoha is his home! Why would he leave?! He grew up here! Team 7 is here! We're here!" Naruko continued to rant, fury and denial coating her voice._

 _Kakashi simply shook his head, his eye remaining closed._

 _"No! He's probably just not been seen in a few days, or something! Are you sure you checked his apartment?! Maybe he's still inside! Check it again! Or... Or check the training grounds! Maybe he's practicing a new jutsu! Or... Or, h-he, t-the library! I know h-he loves the l-library! C-check t-there a-and... A-and..." Naruko began to stutter as she panicked, continuing to deny Kakashi's words._

 _The blond twin-pigtailed girl turned to Sasuke for reassurance, only to find Sasuke staring at her with sad, defeated eyes. The moment she saw the look on his face, Naruko's anger fell away as she clammed up, her eyes growing watery as she blinked back tears._

 _Sasuke couldn't take it. Seeing the usually strong girl, the same girl he'd seen cry a whole two times in his life fall apart before his very eyes, it tore at the Uchiha heir's heartstrings as he turned away, his back facing the two of them as he clinched his eyes shut tightly, refusing to let the tears fall._

 _And as Naruko began to sob and Sasuke began to tremble, Kakashi felt a lone tear slip out of his eye as well._

* * *

Naruko threw her backpack onto the floor as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. She downed the contents before slamming the glass onto the counter, several cracks forming along the sides as the cup barely held itself together.

Sasuke watched the fuming blonde emotionlessly as they stood inside his kitchen in the Uchiha compound. The Uchiha in the streets accepted the sight of the village's princess as a common occurrence, however today they were quick to get out of the way of the young woman as she stomped her way to his house with him right behind her. His father was away at the moment, and his mother steered clear of them the moment she caught sight of the raging Namikaze.

The girl quickly began rummaging through their cabinets, making herself quite at home as she grabbed several snacks and shoved passed him as she walked into the living room before plopping herself down on the floor.

Sasuke made his way over and sat down across from her. He watched quietly as she began stuffing her face.

After several moments Naruko calmed down and let out a frustrated sigh, glaring at him, although he knew her anger was directed elsewhere.

"How can he just remove us like that?!" The girl asked.

Sasuke shrugged in response, "I'm not happy about it either, you know."

"We almost had him, Sasuke! We _almost had him!_ "

The girl growled lowly as she began stuffing her face with snacks once again, and Sasuke just watched.

"If I hadn't lost control... If I hadn't let the Kyuubi take over!"

"You should be more quiet. Someone might hear you."

 _"I don't care!"_ The girl snapped.

Sasuke kept watching the girl as the two fell into silence again, the only sounds being the crunching of the potato chips Naruko had begun eating.

"It's not your fault, you know." Sasuke said, and Naruko's head snapped up as she looked at him in disbelief.

"What? Yes it is! If I hadn't lost control, I-"

"You're not the only one who lost control, Naruko." Sasuke interrupted calmly, "If I hadn't let him get under my skin like that... If I hadn't let my anger cloud my judgement, then maybe we could've captured him then and there. Instead, I only got in the way, and he escaped because of me."

Naruko looked troubled.

"Sasuke... Kane... He... He hurt your dad."

Sasuke nodded, his face expressionless.

The girl grew frustrated at his lack of emotion, "Aren't you angry, still?! Upset? Hurt? Anything?"

Sasuke shook his head, "No."

Naruko's eyes widened in surprise, "What?"

Sasuke smiled at her slightly, "Naruko, my father and I spent a lot of time talking while we came back to Konoha. I was mad at first, but my father's okay... He's lost his eye, but he'll live. He doesn't even seem to be upset about it, really. The eye's gone forever, and not in the hands of Orochimaru, and that's all that matters to him. He said it was a small price to pay for the bastard's death."

Naruko felt relief at that. It was a load off her shoulders knowing that Kane hadn't caused the death of Sasuke's father, even if he _did_ cause him to lose an eye.

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to kick the Dead Last's ass. Next time we see him, I won't be talking... I'm going to beat him into the dirt, and then I'll drag him home."

Naruko grinned at that, "Just like old times, huh?"

Sasuke smirked in response, "Just like old times."

Naruko turned solemn suddenly, and the atmosphere dropped.

"You know, sometimes, it felt like he never really left... One day, he was here, and the two of us went on a C-Ranked mission... The next, he wasn't."

Sasuke kept quiet as he listened to the girl vent.

"It seemed almost... Surreal, hearing about the things he's done. The Akatsuki members he's defeated. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't picture Kane doing those things... Sweet, innocent, twelve year old Kane."

Sasuke nodded, "I know what you mean."

Naruko gave the boy a bitter smile, "He's changed, hasn't he? The Kane we saw at Orochimaru's lair... He's not the same person anymore."

Sasuke shook his head, "No, he's not."

"It didn't seem real... The last time we'd seen him, we were twelve. It was like, I don't know... It almost felt like we were going to run into the same Kane from before... As if he hadn't aged a day. As if the same, twelve year old, quiet Kane would be standing there, waiting for us to take him home."

Sasuke nodded as he watched the girl.

"Sasuke, I'm scared..."

The boy's eyes widened in shock at her admission. He'd _never_ heard the girl say she was afraid of something!

"I'm scared of what can happen... If Kane's changed this much, how much more could he change? It feels like everyday that he's away, he gets further and further from our reach..."

Sasuke closed his eyes and said nothing.

The two sat there in contemplative silence for some time, neither making a sound, the snacks long since forgotten by Naruko's side.

Naruko gave Sasuke a determined look as Sasuke stared at her curiously.

"That's why, we can't give up! We have to save him... Before it's too late. We need to get to him! We can't let this set us back; we _will_ bring Kane back!"

Sasuke smirked.

"Yeah."

* * *

"Ughhh, this sucks..." The boy groaned as he sat upon a large boulder, his head resting against both palms as he leaned on top of his legs.

"It isn't that bad. It's a mission. We're getting paid for our time." His companion responded monotonously.

"Yeah, but come on, Shino! We're literally just watching Sakura learn more about being a medic ninja! Who cares about the types of mushrooms or whatever the hell it is they're doing that grow in Fire Country..." The brown haired boy mumbled.

"Tsunade-sama cares, Kiba, and therefore Sakura cares too."

"Ugh, why do you always seem to make things worse when you comment?"

"If you are truly that bored, then perhaps you should find some way to occupy your time."

Kiba smirked at this, "Oh? Is the rule-following Shino Aburame suggesting I skimp out on my duties? We're supposed to be guarding Tsunade, you know."

"Yes, but if I have to listen to your whining for a moment more I'm going to do something I might very well regret." Shino spoke simply and Kiba gave him a wary look. He really must've gotten under the glasses-wearing Chunin's nerves if he'd resorted to threats, he was usually calm and composed.

"Ehhh? Alright alright, I'll keep quiet, sheesh."

Shino nodded, "Good."

Kiba tried. He really tried.

It just wasn't in his nature.

"But, I mean, come on bro... Tsunade-sama could've just gone alone and asked for Sakura to accompany her. We're wasting our time out here! Why would we need to be here to protect a freaking Sannin?!"

Shino just sighed.

* * *

"It can help reduce inflammation, absorb poisons in the intestinal tract, and even cure ulcers!"

Tsunade smiled at the pink-haired girls answer.

"Very good, Sakura."

Sakura beamed at the praise as she began gathering the herb just like her master taught her.

The two stood out in a meadow filled with flowers and natural herbs. The sun was shining brightly, the wind was blowing gently, it was a beautiful day. A town could be seen in the distance in one direction, and dense forest in the other. They were north of Konoha, not too far from the border between Fire Country and Rice Country.

Tsunade watched Sakura work with a fond smile. The girl was the perfect apprentice! She originally wanted to teach Naruko Namikaze, but the girl would've made a _terrible_ apprentice. Terrible Chakra control, small attention span, more interest in punching things than medical Ninjutsu... The list went on and on.

Still, Naruko had been her first choice, as she was her goddaughter.

Then she met Sakura.

The girl wasn't very strong, but she was smart. She was good with traps. It was what she did on her team; Shino and Kiba tracked the opponent, and Sakura set up and lured them into her traps.

Recon and Capture.

The moment Tsunade saw some of the girls traps at work, she knew she'd found her apprentice. She'd all but _demanded_ the girl learn under her, and both Sakura and their sensei Kurenai were quick to accept the slug princess' "request".

It had been a good choice. Naruko could go learn other things. Tsunade found someone better suited to learn from her.

"Now, Sakura, what would you do if the patient was having trouble keeping food down due to nausea, and couldn't eat the herb?"

Sakura finished collecting the herbs and turned to Tsunade with a confident smile.

"Mix a few tablespoons of crushed tree bark into it to create a sticky paste! It's much easier to force down that way, although it doesn't taste very good."

Tsunade smiled at her again.

A perfect choice indeed.

There was a deep, albeit quiet thump that sounded like a distant explosion had taken place. Tsunade's head snapped towards the direction of the town and her eyes narrowed.

 _Was that smoke?_

She stared as she watched what was clearly smoke rising from behind the distant buildings, and she strained her ears to listen more closely.

"Tsunade-sama? What's wro-"

 _"Hush!"_ Tsunade snapped at her pupil, and the girls eyes widened as she looked towards the town as well.

Tsunade could hear the faint, distant sound of people.

Of screams and outcries of distress.

"Something's wrong." Tsunade stated the obvious as she narrowed her eyes towards the town, Sakura turning serious as well.

"Hey!" The two girls heard from behind them and turned to see Kiba and Shino sprinting towards them.

Upon arriving, the panting Kiba quickly breathed out, "Something's going on at Terabaku town! There was an explosion or something!"

Shino nodded his consensus, "We should investigate."

The three looked towards Tsunade for orders, but the woman had already taken off at a brisk walk towards the dilemma.

* * *

 _"Hidan! What the hell did you do?!"_ Karin screeched as the two were running side by side through a town, screams and cries coming from every direction as the entire town was in full-on panic mode.

"Oi oi! Why do you assume it was me?!"

"It's _always_ you!"

"Well, it wasn't this time, bitch!" Hidan snarled.

"Then who?!"

Hidan turned and blocked several kunai from impaling their backs as four ninja appeared in front of them, each wearing a Leaf Village headband.

"Them!" Hidan sneered as he took a battle position.

Karin began sensing the Chakra around her, and finally located Kane's some distance away.

 _'Kane, what the hell are you doing?!'_

* * *

"How about now?" Kane asked calmly and casually, his arms crossed, as the Jounin writhed on the ground before him.

"Screw... You... Traitor!" The man growled out through gritted teeth.

Kane didn't respond as the man suddenly screamed in pain and began trembling in pain once again.

"Now?"

The Jounin panted as Kane eased up slightly, taking solace in the temporary relief.

"I... I don't know! I haven't heard anything about it!"

"You're lying."

"I'm not! I-"

The man screamed as Kane began heating up his blood once again, a bored look on his face as he inspected his nails.

"Did you know that the Chakra required for this technique is negligible at best? I'm regaining Chakra faster than I'm spending it." Kane drawled out slowly as the Jounin panted on the ground. The man glanced at his two downed comrades momentarily, both still breathing but unconscious.

He glanced up with bloodshot eyes at Kane, his pants coming out in near gasps.

Kane raised an eyebrow at the man.

"My point is..."

The man screamed as he fell back onto his stomach.

"I can do this all day."

* * *

 _"Hahahahaha!"_ Hidan screamed as he slashed another Jounin with his scythe, the ninja grunting as they jumped away.

 _"Hidan!_ Be careful! Kane said not to kill anybody, remember?!"

"I know that, bitch! Why do you think these guys are still alive?!"

The four Jounin looked worse for wear. They couldn't even get a hit on this guy!

 _"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"_ One of the Jounin yelled out before launching a fireball at Hidan, the man becoming consumed by the flames as Karin jumped away.

 _"Hell yeah!_ You got him!" One of the Jounin cheered.

The four stared in shock as Hidan walked towards them as the flames dissipated, an annoyed look on his face.

"Oi! You burnt my clothes, you bastard!"

* * *

"They were spotted here in Terabaku town two days ago! They were heading East!" The man spoke as he laid on the ground, Kane towering above him.

"East?" Kane asked curiously.

"Yeah! East! That's all I know, I swear! They haven't been sighted since, as far as I'm aware!" The man spoke quickly.

Kane nodded, "I believe you."

Kane kicked the man in the head, rendering him unconscious immediately.

* * *

An explosion shook the area as an entire building blew up in a burst of smoke and flames.

"Did we get him that time?!" One of the Jounin called out as he panted.

"Son of a _bitch!_ " Hidan's voice sang through the area, and the four Jounin cringed.

"No, no we didn't." Another Leaf Jounin responded to the first.

Hidan walked out of the debris, a pissed off look on his face.

"You bastards! My clothes are ruined! I don't have many of those, you know!"

The four men noted that Hidan was completely naked, soot and dirt covering his body.

Hidan gained a thoughtful look on his face.

"You!" Hidan snapped as he pointed at the one that blew up the building, and the man recoiled slightly.

Hidan smirked, "What are you wearing under that vest of yours?"

* * *

Kane raised an eyebrow at the sight he came upon. Four Leaf Jounin stood squared off against Hidan, each injured and looking completely exhausted. One of the Jounin was completely _nude,_ and Hidan was wearing a Leaf Village Jounin vest.

"Kane!" Karin yelled out as she jumped up to land beside the boy, the two standing atop a slowly crumbling building.

"Kane-sama! Check out the new look!" Hidan called out in glee as he continued to eye himself through a shattered mirror of a building window.

Kane rolled his eyes at the mans eccentricities, "Come on, Hidan. We know where we're going, now!"

Hidan looked up towards him curiously, "Really? Where'd the bastards go then, Kane-sama?"

Kane glanced at the four Jounin for a moment before pointing at them.

"Knock them out, first."

Hidan nodded as he began walking towards the four Jounin, each one tensing as they prepared for another fight.

Then, the four cried out simultaneously as they each collapsed onto the ground and began writhing in pain, their blood burning hot.

Hidan knocked out each one with a single punch, before jumping to land beside Karin and Kane.

"So where did they go, Kane-sama?"

"East."

Karin raised an eyebrow, "East? That's all you learned?"

Kane nodded, "It's all we needed. They're heading East, which means if I had to guess they're heading for Hotsprings Country."

Karin raised an eyebrow, "Why would they head there?"

"Because they're heading for Lightning Country."

Karin's eyes widened in shock, "They're going for the Eight Tails!"

Kane nodded as Hidan looked bored.

"We should get going then, right?" The ex-Akatsuki member asked casually as he looked towards Kane for guidance.

Kane glanced around the half-destroyed, completely empty town with a raised eyebrow.

"You know, when I said Itachi and Kisame were spotted in Terabaku Town and we were going to come here to gather information, I didn't mean _this_." Kane said as he gestured towards the destruction with one hand.

"Ehhh, things were going fine! One minute, I was sitting at the bar with the bitch, trying to enjoy myself as I had a pint while you gathered information... Next thing I know, there's freaking jutsu flying at me and the whole town is in panic mode!"

"Stop calling me a bitch, you stupid bastard!" Karin hissed.

Kane glanced at the two, "I assume you didn't kill anybody?"

Hidan gave him a roguish grin, "Of course not, Kane-sama! Not a single person was hurt by me, no siree! I don't know about collateral damage from those dumbasses, though." Hidan said as he thumbed backwards towards the four unconscious Jounin.

Kane narrowed his eyes, "Are you saying someone might be hurt? Whether _you_ did it or _they_ did it, _we're_ going to get blamed."

Hidan and Karin both looked sheepish, "Errr, I don't know..."

Kane closed his eyes in frustration.

"Go check."

Hidan nodded before immediately taking off. Karin raised an eyebrow at Kane once Hidan was gone.

"You know I could just check if we ran from one side of the town to the other by sensing Chakra, right?"

"And that's exactly what we're going to do."

"Then why'd you send Hidan away?"

Kane gave her a pointed look, and the girl nodded in understanding.

* * *

 _"Heeeeeey!_ Anybody in there?! If you want help, you gotta scream, bastaaaards!" Hidan yelled out into the collapsed building, and listened quietly before shrugging.

He mumbled to himself as he casually strolled through the carnage of the town.

"Man, I can't believe Kane-sama has me looking to _help_ people... I'd rather sacrifice them to Jashin-sama!"

He glanced around at the town and smirked.

"Then again, _look_ at this place! This was all done because of us! Kane-sama may have said no killing in Fire Country, but we're destroying shit instead! He's sneaky like that! He's doing all of this for Jashin-sama, and he doesn't even realize it! Glory be to his name! Glory be to his champion, Kane-sama!"

Hidan checked another empty building before leaving and whistling a happy tune.

"Oiiii! Anybody home?! Come out, or I'll gut you up!" Hidan yelled into an empty shop, before pausing.

 _'Wait, no, that's not what I should say, I don't think...'_

Hidan paused as he glanced at his reflection from a window, and blinked owlishly.

"Holy shit I look good!" Hidan shouted as he began scrutinizing his reflection with a smirk.

He turned quickly and caught a kunai, right before it impaled itself into his face.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? I look _good!_ Why would you try to ruin it by hurting this pretty face?!" Hidan shouted out into the air as he threw the kunai away, whipping out his scythe in the process.

He walked around for several moments, looking left and right.

"Come out come out, wherever you are, _bastards!"_

Hidan turned and charged behind a building, and smirked as he found himself staring into the shocked eyes of a brown haired boy riding a large dog.

"Found ya, bitch!"

* * *

"How close, Karin?" Kane asked as the two found themselves charging towards Hidan's location.

"We're almost there! Four enemies, and they've got Hidan surrounded!"

Normally, Kane wouldn't be too concerned about Hidan. The man could handle himself. This time, though...

"And you're sure?"

Karin nodded, "Yeah! Hidan's Chakra is getting extremely low! His Chakra signature is getting weaker every second!"

Kane cursed as the two continued hopping across buildings.

* * *

Hidan was panting in exhaustion as he fell to one knee, his left hand gripping his scythe and using it to steady himself.

"Good job, Shino! Keep it up!" Kiba called out with a smirk as the boy nodded in response.

Hidan glared at a bug crawling along his leg.

"These things are so damned annoying! Chakra eating bugs... How stupid!"

Tsunade walked up and kicked the man in the chest, sending him flying into the side of a building.

"Why did you attack this town?!" Tsunade roared as she glared at the downed man.

"Me? I didn't attack this stupid town! It was you stupid Leaf Village Jounin! They attacked me, first! I didn't even cause much damage to the town; that was all you guys!"

Tsunade scowled at the man as he groaned and leaned his head back onto the wall he was leaning against.

"He's out of Chakra. He won't put up much of a fight anymore." Shino spoke out as his bugs returned to him.

Sakura glanced around at the wreckage nervously, "Tsunade-sama, you don't think our own Jounin would cause so much damage to the town, do you?"

Tsunade scoffed, "Of course I do."

The three Chunin looked at her in surprise as Hidan smirked.

"At least one of you isn't completely stupid!" He snarked, but was ignored.

"Why do you say that, Tsunade-sama?" The pink-haired girl asked.

Tsunade pointed at the downed man, "That right there is an ex-Akatsuki member, Hidan."

The three stared at the man in shock before Kiba spoke up, "The same one that killed Asuma-sensei?!"

Hidan snickered and the boy looked outraged.

Tsunade nodded, "Exactly. Collateral damage to a town means nothing when you're dealing with an S-Class Shinobi. They wouldn't have hesitated to destroy the town if it meant defeating a Shinobi like that."

Sakura froze.

"Tsunade-sama... Wasn't that guy, Hidan, working under Kane Sanguis?"

"Yeah, he is." A voice came from above, and the four ninja turned to see Kane and Karin standing atop a building, looking down on them.

"Kane-sama!" Hidan smiled like a child as Kane glared at him.

"How do you always get yourself into these situations, Hidan?" Kane asked.

"Ehhh?" Hidan blinked stupidly up at him.

"Kane Sanguis!" Kiba snarled up at him, and Kane glanced at the boy with red markings on both cheeks.

"Kiba Inuzuka."

The two glared hatefully at each other.

 _'Time for Round 2.'_

* * *

End of Chapter 63


	66. Chapter 64

They continued to glare, the two boys having eyes only for each other.

"Kane-samaaa!" Hidan called out, and Kane finally tore his eyes away from Kiba as he looked back at the man.

Hidan pointed towards Shino, "The bastard uses bugs, Kane-sama! They can absorb your Chakra, too, don't let them-"

"I know." Kane interrupted as his eyes returned to Kiba, his glare softening into a neutral, blank expression.

Hidan blinked, "Oh."

"Hey! You!" Sakura called out, and Karin looked at the pinkette in surprise.

"Me?"

"Yeah! You're Karin Uzumaki, right? Naruko's cousin?"

Karin slowly nodded, "Yeah. That's me."

Sakura glared at the redhead, "What're you doing following Kane Sanguis around?! Naruko is your cousin! You should be supporting her! Kane leaving really hurt her, and yet instead of trying to console your cousin, you're chasing after her man! Somebody otta knock some sense into you, _Shannaro!"_ Sakura began shaking her fist at the Uzumaki, and Karin gave the girl a disgusted, pissed off look.

"I'm not _stealing_ anything! The whole reason I'm following Kane around is _for_ Naru-chan, so shutup you idiot! You go back to the Leaf Village and tell Naru-chan that until she drags this idiot-" The thumbed towards Kane, who gave her an annoyed look in response "-back to Konoha, I'll make sure he doesn't get himself killed!"

Sakura looked surprised at the girls words, and Tsunade stepped forward.

"So you're Kane Sanguis, huh?" Kane's attention drifted towards the well-endowed woman, and he stared dispassionately. Tsunade eyed him up and down, and then scoffed.

"You don't look like much. Hard to believe you're the one everybody keeps talking about."

Kane said nothing as he raised an eyebrow at the woman. Karin leaned in and cupped her mouth as she whispered in his ear.

"That's Princess Tsunade! One of the legendary Sannin!"

Kane's eyes widened slightly at the girls words before he nodded. He frowned thoughtfully as he eyed the Senju.

Really, he should just snag Hidan and get out of here. They knew where Itachi and Kisame were headed, and every second spent here was a second wasted. Fighting a Sannin was definitely _not_ on his list of priorities right now.

His eyes trailed back over to Kiba, and he saw the boy still glaring up at him angrily.

"What're you doing here, Kane? Nobody has seen you since Water Country over three weeks ago!"

Kane stared at the boy blankly, "I don't have to answer to you."

Kiba snarled as he bared his fangs, "Maybe I'll just _make_ you answer then, _Dead Last!"_

Kane's face contorted into one of pure, unadulterated _fury._

Staying and fighting had suddenly shot up to the very _top_ of his list of priorities.

"Karin, stay out of the way. I'm going to teach this mutt some manners." Kane ordered as he jumped down, Karin staring at him in surprise. He hadn't dismissed her like that since he fought Sasori!

Kane snarled at Kiba as he landed.

 _Itachi and Kisame could wait._

"Perhaps, Kiba, you shouldn't stir the hornets nest." Shino said blankly, and the Inuzuka turned to give his teammate an annoyed and confused look.

"Ehh? It's just the Dead Last! Why should I be worried? I beat him in the Chunin Exams quite easily, if you don't remember." Kiba said matter of factly.

Shino nodded, "Yes. Over three years ago. In which time, Kane has defeated _several_ members of the Akatsuki, all of whom are S-Ranked Missing Ninja. Kane-san has likely far surpassed all of us in terms of strength."

Kiba looked at Kane warily for the first time, concern on his face as Akamaru tensed beneath him.

Kane's eyes snapped over to Hidan.

"Hidan."

"Yes, Kane-sama?" The man asked excitedly, eager to serve.

"You're useless to me right now." Kane said simply.

Hidan looked shocked, but slowly nodded in understanding, "Yes, Kane-sama. I have no Chakra left..."

Kane glared back at Kiba as he stuck his right hand out to the side, his palm facing the sky.

Hidan smirked as he quickly grabbed his scythe and swung it at Tsunade's back, the woman jumping away as the man cackled madly.

"As you command, Kane-sama! Allow me to continue to serve! Kill these bastards in the name of Jashin-sama!"

Karin looked away, her eyes closed tightly as if she didn't want to witness what was about to happen.

The four Konoha Shinobi stared in shock as Hidan took his scythe, turned the blade around and _sliced through his own stomach._

 _"For Jashin-sama!"_

With a loud _squelch,_ Hidan cried out in pain as he fell backwards onto his back, blood flowing out from his stomach and flying into the air.

Hidan's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he whispered _"So good..."_ and the blood flowing through the air shot out towards Tsunade.

Tsunade stared at the blood in complete shock, her body refusing to obey her.

 _"Tsunade-sama!"_ Sakura cried out before tackling the woman to the ground, the blood flying passed the two and towards Kane's open palm.

The four Konoha Shinobi watched as Hidan's blood began flowing above Kane's hand, forming a circle with open space in the middle.

Kiba locked eyes with Kane again, and for the first time in his life when dealing with the Dead Last, he felt _afraid._

Afraid, because Kane's eyes were _wild._

"Tsunade-sama, are you alright?" Sakura asked in concern as the woman stared at Kane in fear.

 _'Shit... Shit! I thought I'd moved passed this! I thought... I thought blood didn't bother me anymore!'_

And yet, watching Kane freely manipulate the other man's blood through the air, it sent off some sort of trigger in Tsunade's subconscious.

The woman began shaking as her old trauma began bursting forth once more.

Kane took notice of this, and scoffed.

 _'The woman's trembling, because of a little blood? Some Sannin...'_

Kane turned his attention back to Kiba, and his anger rushed back through him.

Kiba Inuzuka was a testament to everything he once was. His life back in Konoha, his status as one of the Rookie 9, his membership in Team 7.

His title of Dead Last.

His loss in the Chunin Exams.

His weakness before he met Yuka-sensei.

Everything he hated about his old self, Kiba Inuzuka represented.

He would tear that image apart, right here, right now.

Forever.

"Kiba." Kane said simply, as the boy glared at him.

"... Yeah?" He asked cautiously, as Shino suddenly tensed at the look in Kane's eyes.

"I'm going to _break_ you."

Kane launched himself at Kiba, and Akamaru barked loudly before jumping away just in time, and Kane charged after the dog.

Sakura glanced down at her master shaking in her arms, whom had fallen to the ground several seconds ago, and shushed her quietly.

"I'll be right back, Tsunade-sama... It's going to be alright!"

Sakura gently let go of the woman, and then dashed away behind a building and out of sight.

Kane slammed his foot into Akamaru, the dog mewling in pain as it jumped back, and Kane scowled as a swarm of bugs flew at him from the side. Kane willed Hidan's blood forward, and the bugs stopped when the blood began flowing between Kane and Shino.

Shino eyed the blood warily, unsure how to proceed as his bugs flew in place.

"What's wrong, Shino? Never seen blood before?" Kane taunted as a quarter of the blood broke off, continuing to flow in place. The remaining three thirds flew towards Kane, before forming a katana as Kane gripped the 'hilt'.

Kiba stared in shock at the weapon made of pure blood Kane was now wielding.

Kane charged once again as he swung his sword downwards at Akamaru, the dog dashing away as the chase began anew.

Shino grunted as he sent his swarm after Kane, only to watch in shock as Kane glanced over his shoulder and the blood still flowing through the air turned into small, senbon-like needles, before flying through the air and impaling individual bugs.

Shino scowled as he willed his swarm to return to him, and Kane's eyes left Shino as he disregarded him in favor of chasing Kiba once again.

 _'Damnit! He's so fast! Akamaru's having a hard time keeping away from him!'_ Kiba thought to himself.

"Akamaru! We can't keep running away, he's too fast! We have to fight!"

Akamaru barked his agreement, and Kiba put his hands together as he began channeling his Chakra.

"Alright Akamaru! Let's do it! _Man Beast Clone!"_

Akamaru barked before turning into a copy of Kiba, and the two both got on all fours as they glared at the still charging Kane.

 _"Gatsuuga!"_ Kiba shouted as he and Akamaru both began spinning and flying at Kane.

Time seemed to slow for Kiba as he watched in pure shock as Kane sidestepped, completely dodging the attack. Kiba turned his head to stare at Kane in surprise as he slowly began passing him, only to watch Kane reach out and grip his neck with one arm, stopping his momentum and halting his spinning before slamming him into the ground.

Akamaru caught himself as he slid backwards, letting out a concerned yell as he began charging back towards the two.

Kiba stared up at Kane, his mouth dropped open in shock as Kane stared down at him dispassionately. Kiba's eyes trailed to the blood sword in Kane's hands, only to watch it begin to transform until it formed a large mallet. Kiba attempted to scream at Akamaru, but it only came out as a tight gasp due to the pressure on his neck.

Kiba watched in horror as Kane, without ever taking his eyes off him, swung the blood-mallet and slammed it into the jumping Akamaru, sending the large canine flying with a pained yelp.

Kane stared down at Kiba as the boy grabbed the arm gripping his throat tightly and attempted to jerk it off.

Kane let him go as Kiba threw his arm away and kicked outwards at Kane's stomach, but Kane jumped back several feet before he made contact.

Kiba stood up, rubbing his throat tenderly as he glared at Kane.

Kane smirked.

"Akamaru! Are you alright?!" Kiba called out to his best friend, and the dog barked back in response.

Kane jumped away just as a swarm of bugs descended on his location, and Shino grit his teeth in anger.

Kiba looked behind him and saw a small glimmer of light. A reflection, from the top of a headband.

His eyes widened as he got the signal.

Kiba turned back just in time to find a fist plant itself into his face, and he gasped in pain before jumping away and sprinting towards the light he saw previously. Akamaru dashed between him and Kane and snapped at the boy, causing Kane to recoil back slightly to avoid his hand being bitten off.

Akamaru took off behind Kiba, and the Inuzuka jumped in the air as Akamaru ran underneath him, landing atop his back as he yelled "Let's go Akamaru!"

Kane sneered as he turned and launched several more mini blood-senbons towards Shino and his bugs, and both Shino and the bugs dodged the weapons as Kane took off after Kiba.

Kiba rounded a corner around a building, and Kane was right behind him. As he turned the corner, Kane gasped in surprise as he found himself _falling._

He landed at the bottom of a huge hole in the middle of the Earth and glared up. A huge net was suddenly thrown over the top of hole and locked into place by four kunai, courtesy of Sakura. The pinkette looked down at him and gave him a cheeky grin with one eye closed as she stuck her tongue out and held up two fingers in a peace sign.

"Sorry, Kane! This net is infused with Chakra; it won't cut, and it's resistant to elemental Ninjutsu!"

Kane glared up at the girl, displeased he'd fallen for such a simple trap.

 _"Sakura, behind you!"_ Kiba shouted out at his teammate, and the girl gasped and jumped away as a tendril of blood flew around the building and began floating over the net.

The two watched in fascinated horror as the blood split into four parts, and each part flew towards the kunai in each corner before wrapping through the holes in the kunai and _wrenching_ them free, causing the net to fall down the hole.

Kane batted the net away as it attempted to fall on top of him and then quickly jumped out of the trap.

He raised a single eyebrow at the two as they glared at him.

"Really? Just... _Really?"_ Kane asked in annoyance and exasperation.

"How about _this_ then!" Sakura screamed as she threw a punch at him. Kane looked on emotionlessly as he slightly sidestepped, watching the fist fly passed his face and into the building.

And then his expression turned into one of shock as the force of the girls punch _shattered_ the wall and created a huge hole in the building.

Kane quickly jumped away as he glared at the destruction the petite pinkette caused with a _single punch._

The girl smiled cheekily at him, _"Shannaro!"_

 _"Kane!"_ The three ninja glanced up in surprise to see Karin standing atop the building, "Your Chakra is slowly becoming weaker! I think one of those bugs got on you!" The girl called out, and Kane's eyes widened as he suddenly realized his Chakra _was_ draining, albeit slowly.

He hadn't even noticed.

Kane scowled as he realized that was the point. You weren't _supposed_ to notice, until it was too late.

Kane charged the pinkette and the girl swung her fist at him again, only for Kane to casually dodge it before grabbing the woman's throat and slamming her onto the ground.

Before Sakura could react, the blood tendril flew over to Kane and formed a _spear._ Kane leaned back and aimed the weapon at the girl's throat, and she watched in horror as he swung it down at her.

 _"Sakura!"_ Kiba screamed.

Sakura closed her eyes.

And then they snapped open as the weapon missed, spearing into the ground just beside her neck.

The blood quickly shot out from the end of the spear and formed a small arc over her neck, several spikes shooting out from underneath it and stopping just before stabbing into her skin. Sakura tensed up as she realized that even a slight movement could cause the spikes to stab into her neck.

"Don't move." Kane said simply as he rubbed his pointer finger and thumb together over the girl's head, and she winced slightly as a drop of blood landed on her cheek.

Kane turned to face Kiba, the blood spear separating from the blood arc as Kane glared at Kiba hatefully.

"Let's make this quick."

Kane charged Kiba and Akamaru again, and the two took off around the second corner of the building and sprinted towards Shino. Upon reaching his teammate, Kiba hopped off Akamaru and the two turned to face Kane.

Kane stopped halfway as he stared at the two and frowned.

His Chakra was dwindling slowly, and he needed to either end this soon or do something about that.

"I've changed my mind." Kane announced randomly, and the two stared at him cautiously.

"About what, Kane-san?" Shino asked politely.

"I don't want this to end so soon, so I'm going to do something about those annoying bugs of yours."

The two watched as Kane shot a single water bullet into the ground between them, wondering what he was planning.

Then, they both stared in surprise as just like the blood, the water began floating in the air before firing off towards Kane, completely drenching him.

Kane closed his eyes as he could feel the presence of the bugs, now coated with water.

He willed the water to remove them and bring them into the air in front of him for all to see, and smirked as he boiled them alive.

Shino flinched at the display of cruelty towards his precious insects.

"Now, no more of that, alright?" Kane asked as he drenched himself in water once again, enjoying the cool feeling after working up a minor sweat.

The two glared at Kane as they watched both water and blood flow around Kane, almost serenely.

Kane turned at the sound of footsteps and jumped away as Tsunade threw a punch at him, her body still shaking slightly.

Kane raised an eyebrow as the woman glared at him.

"I won't let this control me! I won't let you hurt these ninja! I'll stop you _myself!_ "

Kane gave the woman a reproachful look, "You're afraid of blood, and you want to fight a Sanguis?"

Tsunade bared her teeth as she snarled, "I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp, brat!"

Kane rolled his eyes, "Sure."

He waved his hand and a small amount of blood was flung through the air before landing on the woman, matting her hair and face in the liquid, and the woman immediately fell to her knees.

 _"Dan... Nawaki..."_ The Senju whispered as she began shaking again.

Kane looked down at the woman scornfully, "Another example of how helpful bonds are."

Kane casually strolled passed the woman as he stared at Shino and Kiba, the tendril of blood gently brushing against Tsunade's cheek as it passed as a way of taunting the woman.

Kane smirked at the two, "Some Sannin, huh? Anyway, let's get back to it."

The two tensed, but Kane remained standing casually.

"Kiba, what do you say to a little throwback?"

Kiba looked at him warily, "What do you mean?"

"I mean... Let's make the battlefield force us to rely less on our eyes." Kane smirked before performing several hand signs.

 _"Hidden Mist Jutsu!"_

The area was quickly coated in a dense fog, and Kiba and Shino both looked around.

Kiba sniffed the air, "I can smell him! He hasn't moved, yet... Wait, he's moving, he's-"

Kiba never finished his sentence as he was sent spiraling onto the ground from a punch to the face. Kane smirked down at him.

"Nostalgic, isn't it?"

Kiba snarled up at him, "It'll be even more nostalgic when I _beat you!_ "

Akamaru barked as he attempted to bite Kane, only to be flung away by a tendril of water slamming into his side. Shino quickly launched his swarm at Kane, only to watch in horror as the blood senbons came out of seemingly nowhere and began impaling his bugs again.

Shino grit his teeth as he forced the attack, sacrificing more of his swarm in an attempt to reach Kane.

Kane smirked as without even looking, a large wall of water appeared and the bugs flew straight into it, quickly dying as the water began boiling them alive.

Kiba jumped up and threw a punch at Kane, only for the boy to tilt his head to the side as it soared passed him. Kane slammed his fist into Kiba's gut, and the Inuzuka coughed up blood as he fell to his knees.

Kane stared down at him distastefully.

This was the same boy that defeated him three years ago during the Chunin Exams.

 _'Kami, I really was pathetic.'_

Kane kicked Kiba in the face before charging at Shino. Shino blocked the punch Kane threw his way, and then gasped in surprise and pain as a torrent of water slammed into his back.

Kane took advantage of his attention being diverted to sweep the Aburame's feet out from under him before stomping him in the stomach.

Shino wheezed as he gripped his stomach in pain, the wind being knocked out of him.

Kane blinked as the area began to clear, suddenly becoming much easier to see as the jutsu dissipated. He frowned.

 _'I sure can't seem to hold that jutsu for very long, it drained my Chakra storages to nearly half just from that and a single water bullet... Need to work on that.'_

Kane looked at Shino as the boy quickly spun his legs in an attempt to sweep Kane as well, and Kane jumped back before scowling at Shino.

He sprinted towards the boy as he attempted to get up, and quickly knocked him out.

Shino wasn't the one he was truly interested in.

Kane smirked as he turned to face Kiba and Akamaru.

"Guess this is the end, Kiba."

Kiba snarled, "No, it's not! I'm stronger than you think, _Dead Last!_ "

Kane saw red as he was once again slapped in the face with the reminder of his hated nickname.

He charged Kiba, and slammed his fist into the boy's gut.

Then his cheek.

Then his chin.

The sound of his fists slamming into the boy filled the area as Kane continued to pummel Kiba over and over, the Inuzuka not even having time to cry out in pain before the next blow came.

Kane snarled and stepped back several steps as Akamaru jumped between the two with a low growl.

Kiba took several moments to compose himself, several bruises already forming on his face and his nose clearly broken as it oozed blood.

He took a deep breath, and Akamaru jumped backwards to stand beside his master.

Kiba and Akamaru jumped in the air as the boy shouted, "We'll finish it with this! _Man-Beast Transformation!_ "

The two combined to form a giant, white, two-headed wolf that growled at Kane as it drooled and slobbered.

Kane stared blankly, and the wolf beast roared as it charged him.

Only to shriek as both the tendril of water and tendril of blood slammed into each neck, forcing him onto the ground as it began choking both heads of the giant wolf.

Kane watched as after nearly a full minute, the beast disappeared in a _**'poof!'**_ of smoke, Kiba and Akamaru panting as they tried to get more air into their lungs.

The water tendril slammed into Akamaru, the dog yelping as it was knocked unconscious.

 _"Akamaru!"_ Kiba screamed as he watched his best friend get knocked out.

Kiba turned to face Kane and began growling again.

"I... I won't give up, Kane! I'll fight until my very last breath, if I have to!" Kiba yelled out, and Kane glared.

"You're _weak,_ Kiba. You always were. I was, too, but I'm different now... I'm not that same little boy you fought in the Chunin Exams!"

Kiba glared with one eye closing shut in pain as he continued panting.

Kane grit his teeth in anger and slight pain as his skin began turning red.

 _"I'll show you."_

Kiba stared as suddenly Kane was standing right in front of him.

 _He hadn't even seen him move._

Kiba blinked as he looked up into Kane's eyes, the boy glaring down at him hatefully.

Kiba's mouth dropped open in horror at the realization that struck through him like a bolt of lightning.

 _'He... He was holding back! This entire time, he's been holding back! He was playing with us!'_

Kane slowly pulled his hand back, preparing to knock him out with a final swing, and Kiba grimaced as he shut his remaining eye.

 _'Heh... Guess I deserved this for underestimating him... You're right, Kane... You've changed...'_

Kiba forced his eyes open as he looked up into Kane's hateful stare.

 _'You know, it's funny... I never really knew all that much about you, Kane... And yet... For some reason...'_

He gave Kane a small, sincere smile.

 _'I miss having the old Kane around.'_

Kane slammed his fist into Kiba's head.

* * *

Sakura was struggling, trying to find a way out of her predicament as Karin stood next to her, watching her emotionlessly.

The two girls heard the sound of quiet footsteps as someone approached, and Karin watched as Kane walked around the corner. Sakura struggled to glare at him through her peripheral.

Kane willed the blood to flow up and way from Sakura, releasing her as the girl slowly leaned up until she was on her backside. He stared at her emotionlessly as she glared back at him.

"Go take care of your friends. They're both knocked out, and your master's a mess right now. We're leaving."

Sakura said nothing as he turned and walked away, biting her lip as she knew she couldn't stop him. Karin ran after him, and the two rounded the corner and went out of sight.

Sakura sighed as she walked around the corner just in time to see Kane throw Hidan over his shoulder, and the three take off to who knows where. She quickly ran towards Tsunade, the woman slowly managing to get ahold of herself, and Sakura frowned.

 _'This was supposed to be a mission to gather herbs!'_

* * *

"So, where to now?" Karin asked.

"We're chasing after Itachi and Kisame still." Kane replied simply, and Karin blinked in response.

"Oh yeah, you figured out where they're headed... So, we're off to find them huh?"

Kane nodded, "We're going to Lightning Country."

* * *

"You- You're Akatsuki!" The Shinobi wearing a Frost Village headband cried out as Kisame nodded with a chuckle.

"Indeed we are!"

"S-stay where you are! I'm taking you two in!" The man replied fearfully, and Itachi raised a single eyebrow before placing him in a Genjutsu, rendering him unconscious.

Kisame gave Itachi an annoyed look, "Tell me again why we're purposely letting people discover our identities?"

Itachi turned to face his partner as the two began walking again.

"We're leaving a trail. The Nine Tails is hunting the Akatsuki, this much we know, and if we leave a trail, eventually, he'll find us."

"So why are we going to Lightning Country, then? Wouldn't it be faster to just let him find us where we're at?"

Itachi nodded, "Yes, however we're not only hunting the Kyuubi."

Kisame nodded as well, "Ahh, so we're killing two birds with one stone, eh? Isn't that a little... Risky? The Nine Tails has proven to be a formidable opponent, and we both know I'm going to be useless against an opponent like him. You're on your own."

Itachi hummed, "Risky, perhaps... But it may also prove to be a fruitful endeavor. Perhaps, should putting the Nine Tails Jinchuriki in Lightning Country cause some... Situations, to occur, then things will be even simpler for us. Kane-kun's presence will almost assuredly stir up trouble, and we'll wait for the proper moment before collecting both biju."

"So we're just rolling the dice here, is that it?" Kisame smirked.

Itachi nodded.

"Precisely."

* * *

End of Chapter 64


	67. Chapter 65

Karin had her eyes shut tightly, her back towards the horrifying scene behind her. She refused to watch this ever again! She'd seen it several times now, and it still made her want to throw up each and every time.

Kane stared stoically as he sat on a rock beside Karin.

"How can you let him keep doing this, Kane?" Karin nearly whispered as she kept her eyes shut tight.

"It's his choice, not mine." Kane responded as he watched Hidan continue his ritual for Jashin-sama as he laid on the ground, a weapon impaled in his chest as he stared up into the sky with a lifeless look, the symbolic red circle with a triangle in the middle surrounding him.

"But it's sick, Kane! How can you let him do something like that to another person?!"

"Maybe they shouldn't have attacked us, then."

"Yeah, but... This?!"

Kane rolled his eyes, "There are worse ways to die. It's not like Hidan is torturing them, they're dying quickly enough. Really, I could think of worse fates."

"But Hidan is establishing some sort of gross, disgusting, vile connection with them! He's feeling their life leave their body as if it was his own! It's hellish!"

"Yeah, but that's Hidan's choice. It isn't hurting anybody, well except for the fact that he's killing them-" Kane spoke it so casually that Karin's eyes snapped open as she glared at him in open disgust, "-and just because Hidan is twisted, doesn't mean I'm going to stop him. These ninja were dead men walking the second they declared that they were going to 'butcher the Jinchuriki', and their fate is their own doing."

"You're just rationalizing something you know to be an atrocity!"

Kane shrugged, "Maybe so, but unless you want to stop him yourself, there's nothing you can do about it."

Karin closed her eyes again with a small 'harrumph'.

"Doesn't mean I like it." She mumbled.

"Nobody said you have to like it." Kane replied as he continued to observe Hidan's ritual blankly.

"How can you watch this, though? It's... Just, how can you stand watching? Why not turn away?" Karin asked curiously as she opened one eye to glance at the boy.

"If I'm not going to stop Hidan from doing his rituals... The least I can do is be man enough to watch him do it."

Karin said nothing to that.

* * *

"So you're the ones that were causing such a ruckus in Frost Country." The man huffed as he stood before Kane, Hidan and Karin.

The man had dark skin, white hair covering his left eye and a sleeveless Kumo uniform. Four other Kumo Jounin stood at attention behind him.

Kane said nothing as he stared at the man boredly.

"My name is Darui, and you-" He pointed his finger directly at Kane, "-are the Nine Tails Jinchuriki."

Kane closed his eyes as he breathed out a sigh of annoyance.

 _'Haven't even made it to the Hidden Cloud Village, and we're already being stopped by their ninja.'_

"Come with me and there won't be any trouble. We're taking you in." Darui stated simply.

Kane's eyes snapped open as he glared at the other man.

"And who's going to make me?"

Darui's eyes narrowed as the Shinobi behind him tensed. Hidan smirked as he took a step forward to stop beside Kane.

"Guess we're doing this the hard way. How dull." Darui sighed almost boredly.

"Hidan, why are these guys still in our way?" Kane stated it not as a question, but as a command.

Hidan's smirk widened, "I don't know, Kane-sama..."

He charged at them as he whipped out his scythe.

"Allow me to remove them for you!" Hidan screamed as he swung at Darui, the man pulling out the long, broad sword on his back and clashing with Hidan.

The four Kumo ninja behind Darui quickly took off, sprinting around the two sword-bearing ninja and surrounding Kane and Karin.

Karin looked concerned, "How did things escalate so quickly?!"

Kane said nothing as he grit his teeth, his skin burning red hot as he eyed the four ninja around him.

He eyed one Jounin in particular as the man started performing several hand signs.

 _"Earth Style: Rising Stone Pillars!"_ The man shouted as three spots in the Earth in front of him began rising into the air, forming three pillars of dirt. The pillars turned and aimed at Kane, and the other Jounin watched tensely to see what would happen.

The pillars never fired, though, as the Kumo ninja gasped as he found a hand wrapped around his neck and his body lifted into the air. Kane glared hatefully up at the man as he began choking him out, the three floating pillars falling to the ground with a loud slam.

Darui watched all of this happen with wide eyes as he continued to fight off Hidan in a Kenjutsu battle.

 _'That guy's fast! Really, really fast!'_

"Hey, eyes on me, dumbass!" Hidan sneered as he began his attacks anew.

Karin stood perfectly still as a Kumo ninja charged her with a sword, knowing Kane would prefer if she just stayed put.

She was proven correct when right before the man reached her, he was slammed into the ground, coughing up blood.

The same man's eyes widened in pain and horror as he began howling, his skin turning red as his blood began heating up from the inside.

Kane raised an eyebrow at the three remaining Kumo ninja, one of whom was rubbing his red neck in pain from having nearly been choked out.

"You know, when I was younger, I used to think being a Jounin meant you were a truly skilled ninja..." Kane announced as the three glared at him. Kane shrugged, "I guess I was wrong. Every country I've been in, the Jounin are all the same... They're weak!" Kane's voice turned into a snarl at the end as he charged the three.

Hidan cackled madly as he continued to attack Darui, the man tsking in annoyance as he jumped backwards and performed several hand signs in quick succession. A halo of bright energy formed around his hands as he completed the final hand sign.

 _"Storm Release: Laser Circus!"_ He yelled out as several beams of light shot towards Hidan and hit him point blank. Hidan yelled out in pain as the beams caused a small explosion to take place on his body, dust and debris clouding the area around him and hiding him from sight.

Kane glanced over his shoulder as he calmly placed his foot atop the stomach of the last Kumo Jounin, the man writhing on the ground. All four Jounin were incapacitated and Kane and Karin both watched boredly as the dust began to settle.

Darui's eyes widened in shock as Hidan stood there, completely unharmed, however the man had on eye closed in pain as he shook slightly, electricity sparking around his body.

"I... can't move! Electricity is a bitch!" Hidan spoke through gritted teeth.

Darui continued to stare in surprise.

 _'How is he still standing?! That should've killed him! I know I hit him!'_

Hidan struggled as he slowly looked over his shoulder at Kane and Karin.

"K-Kane-samaaaa... Maybe-" He flinched from the pain the bouncing electricity was causing, "-Maybe you could deal with this guy while I get myself under control?"

Darui barely had time to duck as a punch flew at his face, then he jumped away as a knee came forward and attempted to slam into him.

Darui landed in a battle stance as he eyed Kane cautiously. Kane stared back and raised an eyebrow.

"You're pretty good." Kane said simply.

Darui nodded, "You're-"

His eyes widened as he sidestepped, barely dodging another punch from Kane, and then brought his sword up to block as Kane threw a kick at him, driving him back several feet. Darui turned his head to the side just slightly as something caught his eye, then realized exactly what it was as Kane's foot planted itself into his face, sending him flying.

Darui landed on both feet and one hand, his left arm holding the blade away from his body so he didn't accidentally cut himself, and Darui snapped his head up as he began slowing down.

Only to find another foot slamming into his face.

Darui went flying yet again, this time spinning mid air as he caught sight of Kane charging him still. He swung his blade in an arc, and Kane paused momentarily to allow the blade to pass by his body.

This gave Darui the reprieve he needed as he landed on both feet and sidestepped Kane's next blow. Kane threw a spinning kick at Darui, but Darui blocked it with his sword before letting the blade go and jumping into the air.

 _"Lightning Release: Wave of Inspiration!"_ Darui yelled out as he shot a sharp stream of water towards Kane, lightning coating the liquid.

Then watched in shock as the jutsu, halfway towards Kane, in mid air, changed trajectory and performed a small U-turn, flying back towards him.

Darui barely managed to dodge, but then stared in horror as the jutsu performed _another_ U-turn and began flying at him again.

The jutsu slammed into his back as his eyes went wide and he grit his teeth in pain, falling to the ground with a loud _**'plunk!'**_ as he hit the dirt.

Kane turned away as he began walking back towards Hidan and Karin, only to stop and look over his shoulder as Darui struggled to stand, slowly getting back on his feet.

"You're still moving?" Kane asked curiously as Darui panted.

"I'm used to... Having lightning course through my body..." The man gasped out as he got into a slack fighting stance.

Kane nodded before ignoring the man and walking away again. Darui looked at him in confusion.

"Where are you going?"

Without turning around, Kane responded, "You're done. You said your name was Darui, right? Go home, Darui."

Darui grit his teeth in anger. Normally, it was too boring to deal with outsiders and Darui wasn't prideful enough to really care about winning or losing a fight.

But this... This was just disrespectful. To be spared by a foreign ninja that A himself ordered him to be on the lookout for...

It made him feel ashamed of himself.

"We're not finished yet!" Darui called out, and Kane pivoted on one foot and turned back to him, an expectant look on his face.

Darui put his hands together, forming the Rat hand sign as he began channeling Chakra.

Pure, black lightning burst forth around the man's body as he began glaring heatedly at Kane, and Kane's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Like I said! We're not finished yet!" Darui yelled as the electricity coursed through his body, and he charged at Kane.

Kane began avoiding Darui as the man attempted to strike him, not wanting to get hit by that black lightning surrounding his body.

 _'He's faster, now! He's almost as fast as I am! So, just like heating up blood can make you faster, coursing lightning through your veins can speed you up too...'_

Kane continued to dodge and weave as Darui attempted to strike him, and Kane jumped behind a large boulder, hiding from sight.

Darui glared as he pointed at the boulder, and a bolt of black lightning flew from his fingertips and slammed into the rock, bursting it into pieces as Kane jumped away.

Darui's eyes widened as he saw his opening, and he sprinted at the airborne Kane before slamming his fist into his gut, the black electricity quickly jumping onto Kane and flowing around his body.

Kane smirked at Darui, and Darui's eyes widened as he noticed a _second_ Kane still behind the debris of the destroyed boulder.

The Kane he had his fist planted firmly into _burst_ into water, and the next thing Darui knew he had water completely surrounding his body.

And the water _burned._

Darui let out a silent scream as the black electricity encompassed the water, but was unable to assist him in any way. The electricity dispersed as he felt himself losing consciousness.

He landed on the ground with another _**'Thunk!'**_ as the water released him, flowing in the air where it dropped him before shooting back towards the real Kane and flowing around him.

Darui struggled, but found he couldn't do more than lift his head to glare at the Jinchuriki.

Kane stared at him for several seconds.

Then, without a word, he turned and walked away.

Darui closed his eyes as he let his consciousness fade away.

* * *

The sound of a body hitting the ground filled the area as Kane cooled off his blood, his skin returning to normal.

"Son of a bitch, this country sucks ass!" Hidan moaned as he threw the unconscious body of a Kumo Chunin away, "We're literally fighting constantly! I wouldn't mind it so much if we could sacrifice them to Jashin-sama, praise be to his name, but we can't even kill these guys! This is so lame!"

Kane nodded in agreement. He was certainly glad he'd gone to Bear Country and Water Country when he'd been a Genin, and not Lightning Country. He wouldn't have lasted a week out here before getting captured.

It was obvious Kumo was on edge. They were on high alert at all times, not allowing anything to happen in their own country without their knowing about it.

 _'It's funny how the Country known for their saboteurs and espionage is the most concerned about foreign Countries stealing their secrets.'_

Kane cracked his neck as he glanced at Karin, "Alright. No more. We need to avoid Kumo ninja from this point forward... We're never going to find Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki if we keep having to fight Kumo."

Karin frowned, "If those two are really in the country, do you think they've run into the same problems as us?"

Kane shrugged, and the two turned to face Hidan as he scoffed.

"Course not. You haven't met Itachi or Kisame, bitch. Those two are in a league of their own... Even I wouldn't want to fight either of them."

Karin gained a tick mark on her forehead, "Don't call me a bitch, you bastard!"

"Maybe you shouldn't be such a bitch then, bitch!"

"Asshole!"

"Whore!"

"Dick!"

"Cunt!"

Kane closed his eyes in annoyance as the two began ranting at each other once again.

 _'Really, you'd think Karin would be smart enough to just let it go...'_

Then again, everytime he said exactly that to the girl, she always shrugged and responded with 'I'm an Uzumaki' as if that explained her behavior somehow.

Maybe it did.

Who cared.

"Enough, you two." Kane interrupted as they both went quiet after a final glare at each other.

Karin turned to face him, "We haven't heard anything about them since we got here. Nobody we've asked has heard anything. How are we supposed to find them?"

Kane frowned, "I'm not sure... But I think I have a solution."

The two looked at him curiously.

"They're hunting the 8 Tails. If we find the Hachibi, we'll find Akatsuki."

Karin frowned again, "But the 8 Tails is probably inside the Hidden Cloud... There's no way we'll get inside there!"

"Maybe he's not inside the village. Maybe he's somewhere roaming the country, for whatever reason."

Karin looked doubtful, "Akatsuki have snatched seven of the nine biju... Surely Kumo would be protective of the eight tails and keep him in the village, right?"

Kane shrugged.

"Only one way to find out."

* * *

 _"Get the Jinchuriki!"_ The Kumo Ninja screamed as more than two dozen Shinobi continued to assault the trio.

Karin was restrained by two Kumo Shinobi as she watched in horror as Hidan was finally taken down, the man being held down by four Kumo Shinobi as he snarled and struggled.

Kane was panting, his skin burning red as his eyes were wild.

 _How had things gotten so out of hand?!_

Karin had felt it. A strange, powerful Chakra that could only be one thing.

The Chakra of a Biju.

The Eight Tails.

Clearly, the Hachibi Jinchuriki was releasing the power of its biju for whatever reason. Maybe they were fighting someone.

Maybe they were fighting the Akatsuki.

There were several other Chakra signatures around, but it didn't seem like a battle was taking place... At least, that's what Karin told Kane when he asked the girl.

Still, they'd found what they came for. The Jinchuriki was, thankfully, roaming the country with only a handful of ninja...

The three had taken off in the direction of the Hachibi.

And then, Karin had announced that there were ninja coming at them.

From every direction.

 _'They were waiting for us! No, they were waiting for the Akatsuki! It was a set up all along! Shit, shit, shit!'_ Kane thought with panic as he continued trying to fight off the numerous Shinobi.

There were just too many, and these guys were no joke. Kane didn't know if Kumo had a branch of ninja like Konoha did with the Anbu, but if Kumo did, then surely that's what these guys were. They were all skilled, and Kane had only taken out several of them, and now he was running low on Chakra. He only had enough for a few low level Water Ninjutsu or one high level Water Ninjutsu.

 _'I won't lose here, damnit!'_

Kane yelled out as he slammed a tendril of water into one of the Kumo ninja, ducking as a sword flew above his head, and then jumping away as a lightning jutsu attempted to strike him.

He couldn't keep this up.

Kane glanced at Karin for a moment.

 _'Maybe... Maybe if I just-'_

Kane gasped as a fist struck him in the stomach, and he slammed the Kumo ninja with the tendril of water, knocking them away as he gasped for breath.

 _"Kane!"_ Karin's scream reached his ears, and without knowing what it was that caused the girl to scream his name, he _jumped._

Kane glanced down as he saw several pillars of pure Earth fly under him, the jutsu having tried to impale him.

He landed on both feet and clapped his hands together.

He had to do _something,_ damnit!

 _"Hidden Mist Jutsu!"_ Kane yelled out as a thick fog covered the area.

 _'It won't last very long! I've got forty five seconds, at the very most, and I'm almost out of Chakra now!'_

But before he could even move, he heard it.

 _"Wind Style: Burst Breath!"_ Several of the Kumo ninja called out simultaneously, and Kane shielded his eyes as wind began blowing at him from every direction, and he could feel as the mist was blown away and his vision of the area was lost.

He opened his eyes as he panted, seeing the Kumo ninja all watching him carefully.

Karin looked at him hopelessly, a defeated look crossing her face as she finally understood.

 _'Kane can't win... We're going to lose!'_

Hidan continued to struggle and snarl as two more Kumo ninja helped restrain him, and the man was unable to move even slightly.

 _'No! We can't lose here! Jashin-sama, send us your favor! Send your champion your favor!'_

Kane glared hatefully as he continued to pant, cautiously eyeing the fifteen or so Kumo ninja that were focused solely on him.

He couldn't win.

Kane felt panic swell within him.

 _'No... No! I didn't come this far just to lose here! Just to die here! Just to get captured by the Hidden Cloud! No!'_

Kane would fight. He'd fight to his last breath.

He would _win._

His survival depended on it.

As that last thought crossed his mind, Kane felt his determination solidify once more. He snarled as he stood up straight and prepared to fight again.

Then, he felt it.

Kane blinked, his face relaxing as it took on a neutral, blank expression. He relaxed his posture, standing up straight and staring at nothing and nobody.

"Kane?! What are you doing?!" Karin called out.

 _'He... He's giving up!'_

Hidan's mouth dropped open in shock as he watched Kane.

"Kane-sama?!"

Kane blinked slowly as he looked up towards the sky.

"It's starting to rain."

Everyone present glanced up as the first few drops began to fall, splashing several people as it landed on them gently.

Steadily, as if the gates of heaven opened themselves up, the rain began pouring down upon the area.

And Kane closed his eyes, enjoying the soothing sensation.

* * *

Darui scowled as he checked the pulse of the unconscious Anbu. The two squadrons he'd arrived with helped carry the injured Kumo Anbu back towards the village after making sure they were okay.

Two squadrons of Anbu, all assigned to protect Killer Bee, and all taken down.

He knew exactly who did it, too.

Thankfully, none of them were killed. Everyone would survive, and Darui couldn't help but wonder why the Jinchuriki would intentionally spare them.

He glanced up at the man towering over him.

"Where is Bee?" The man asked Darui, and Darui grimaced slightly.

"One of the Anbu assigned to follow Killer Bee says that he took off sometime during the skirmish with the Nine Tails Jinchuriki. The ones assigned to follow him discretely arrived here during the middle of the battle, having lost Killer Bee's trail, and they were taken out by the Nine Tails as well... We have no idea where Bee is, sir."

The man scowled in displeasure, and Darui hesitated before asking for orders.

"What do we do now?"

The man tsked, "I'm going to go find Bee. You make sure these men make it back to the village safely.

Darui nodded.

"As you command, Raikage-sama."

The Raikage took off.

* * *

 _"Yo~! Hey~! Ho~!"_

Kane, Hidan and Karin arrived to the sight of the strange man singing... No, rapping. It was going too fast, and it wasn't catchy in the slightest. He held a small book in his left hand, a writing utensil in his right, and sunglasses over his eyes.

 _"Ya know my force, of course, from the source~! No remorse from me, the one and only Killer Bee~! Oh Yeah!"_

Kane stepped forward as the man continued rapping, completely disregarding the three Missing Ninja in front of him. Kane glared up harshly at the man as he continued to rap.

 _"A maybe fight coming up, I'll show them what's up~! They'll hear my rhymes, and they'll know it's time~!"_

He slammed his book shut as he turned serious, tilting his head as he stared down at Kane. His voice dropped low as his next sentence wasn't rapped, but rather spoken.

 _"Finally, Eight Meets Nine."_

* * *

End of Chapter 65


	68. Chapter 66

_"Yo~! Say~! Ho~! You know my name, you know my fame, don't be lame~! Eight Tails, that's me, da rappin, Killer Bee~! A tailed beast resides, inside my hide~! Makin beats and rhymes and I'm makin' 'em live~!"_

Karin stared dubiously, Hidan looked annoyed, and Kane had a blank look on his face.

What was _with_ this guy?!

 _"It's what a Jinchuriki needs to survive~! Battle and battle up here in the Bee Hive~!"_

"Can you _stop?!"_ Karin yelled out in disbelief, and Bee turned to stare at her. The girl shivered, as although she couldn't see his eyes due to his sunglasses, the girl could _feel_ his harsh glare.

"Don't interrupt my rhymes, yo."

Karin's mouth dropped open in shock as Hidan smirked.

"I like this guy."

 _"Ya know my power, make ya cower, every hour~! Eight Tails, Killer Bee to the third degree!"_

Kane stepped forward, "The Eight Tails Jinchuriki, Killer Bee of Kumogakure."

Killer Bee stopped dancing and stood up straight, placing a hand under his chin as he scrutinized Kane thoroughly.

"Yo! Kane Sanguis, Nine Tails Jinchuriki, makin Akatsuki flee!"

Killer bee jumped slightly, as if startled, and quickly whipped out his black book as he began writing.

 _"Ohhh that's a good one..."_ He mumbled to himself.

Kane waited patiently for the man to finish, and Killer Bee snapped his book closed once again as he gave a cheeky grin to the trio.

"Yo! So what brings you here, Nine?"

Kane gave the man an annoyed look, "Don't call me that."

"Hmm?" The man frowned slightly at Kane before shaking his head, "You're no fun, yo!"

"Ehhh? Kane-sama is a lot of fun! You should see the things we've done!"

Killer Bee's mouth dropped open in shock as he stared at Hidan, before once again whipping out his book and writing.

 _"Lotta fun... Things I've done... Oh Yeah~!"_

He snapped his book shut again as he grew serious again.

"So, Akatsuki should be nearby, right? Why come to me, yo? Now they get the bargain deal of two for one! Not that they could take me, I'm the legendary Killer Bee, I'm too expensive and definitely not free, Oh Yeah!"

"Akatsuki are after you. I'm here to take them out when they make their move. I want you to draw their attention, Killer Bee." Kane said plainly, as if he fully expected Killer Bee's compliance.

"Hmm? And how would I do that, fool, ya fool?"

Kane shrugged, "I don't care. Just do it."

Killer Bee rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "I got an idea, yo!"

The three perked up as they watched him jump down from his rock, walking towards the three before stopping and placing both hands on his hips.

"Let's team up, yo! Akatsuki won't be able to handle the flow! Two Jinchuriki, it's a good call fo' sho!"

Kane looked interested in the idea as Karin and Hidan turned to him.

 _'This guy's probably strong, he'd be a valuable ally... I didn't expect for him to make such an offer. I'm surprised he'd be willing to abandon his village, but I guess it makes sense. He's a Jinchuriki, so his life was probably as awful as mine was, and with Akatsuki roaming around he must recognize that he's not safe there.'_

Kane eyed the man up and down.

 _'Then again, if he comes with me, Akatsuki will be hunting me... I wanted to kill as many of them off as I could before they started focusing solely on me. If I leave him behind, then Akatsuki still have one other target other than myself...'_

Kane shook his head, "Not interested. You're more useful to me if you stay with Kumo."

Hidan and Karin both looked slightly surprised at the rejection, before turning to face Killer Bee. It was Kane's decision, and they wouldn't question it.

Killer Bee raised an eyebrow, "I think you misunderstood, yo. I'm not offering to join you."

Kane furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "What did you mean, then?"

"I'm offering you a place in the Hidden Cloud Village. Come join Kumo, yo! Become a Kumo Shinobi!"

The three looked at the man in shock, and Kane snorted.

"And you can just offer me that sort of position? You're not the Raikage."

Killer Bee shrugged, "I know the Raikage, yo. He'll want you for himself fo' sho. You took out all those Anbu; he'll respect that. I can feel it in my bones!"

Kane frowned, "He'd be risking war with Konoha."

"He don't care, yo! He's been itching to pick a fight with them for years! Wants to get back at that Fourth Hokage of theirs for winning the war, fool, ya fool! He'll gladly risk a war he's been looking forward to for the Nine Tails Jinchuriki."

Kane shook his head, "Whatever. It doesn't matter. I'm not interested in your offer. I abandoned Konoha to hunt the Akatsuki, so why would I join Kumo now?"

"That's the wrong choice fool, ya fool!"

Kane narrowed his eyes, "I don't care for your opinion. What I care about is that you lure Akatsuki to you. Two of its members are in Lightning Country right now."

"That's obvious fool, ya fool! Why else would you be here? I already knew you were hunting them!"

Kane's eyes widened marginally, "What do you mean?"

Killer Bee snorted before throwing his arms out as if he were about to start rapping again, "Everyone knows who you are fool, ya fool! The Nine Tails Jinchuriki, abandoned Konoha, Missing Ninja, has been killing off Akatsuki members. You're quite famous, yo!"

Kane nodded, "Yeah. So I've noticed."

"What would you have me do, yo? I'm not leaving the country."

Kane raised an eyebrow, "Why not? Don't you think your life is more important than your loyalty to the village that treated you like dirt?"

"You fool! Kumo didn't treat me like dirt! I love my life in Kumo fool, ya fool! The Raikage is like a brother to me! The village loves me!"

Kane stared at the man in shock.

 _'What? Since when does a Jinchuriki have a decent life? Since when do villages treat their Jinchuriki well?'_

Kane shook his head in denial. The man was clearly brainwashed, and he didn't even know it.

Sad, really.

"I need you to draw attention to yourself somehow. I don't care how you do it, but Akatsuki will come for you if you do. You're alone right now, so they'll approach you at any time."

Killer Bee smirked, "Draw attention, huh? You don't care how, huh?"

The man cracked his neck as he rolled his shoulders.

Then, he charged at Kane, throwing a punch as Kane jumped away.

Kane scowled, "What are you doing?!"

"You said draw attention to myself, yo! So I'm gonna do that by battling, fool, ya fool! I want to see how strong you are, Nine Tails, so this is perfect, yo!"

Killer Bee whipped out a sword and blocked as a scythe was swung at him.

Hidan scowled, "Let's just kill the bastard, Kane-sama!"

Killer Bee smirked as he began rapping, _"A Tailed Beast resides, in my hide~!"_

He kicked out at Hidan, the man blocking with his scythe as he slid back several feet.

 _"Step aside and prepare to be petrified~!"_

Killer Bee threw several swords into the air, catching each one with a different part of his body, but leaving his mouth free to continue rapping.

 _"Cause it's hard out there for a Jinchuriki~!"_

Hidan charged, and Killer Bee began swinging the swords around as he spun, Hidan gasping in shock as he soon found himself on the defensive.

 _"When you're fightin' and recitin' and your rhymes are freakin~!"_

Killer Bee began slicing Hidan as the man was unable to block the numerous swords.

 _"Shit!"_

 _"My vanquished foes do the dance of defeat~!"_

 _"Bastard!"_

 _"And we celebrate my win with these ice cold beats~!"_

 _"Ahh!"_

 _"Me and Eight Tails ain't nothin' gonna sever~!"_

 _"Crap!"_

 _"It's win, win, win 'till the end forever~!"_

 _"Damnit!"_ Hidan screamed as he was flung away from Killer Bee, the man striking a pose as Hidan landed on the ground.

 _"OH YEAH!"_

Hidan stood up as he glared hatefully at Killer Bee, and Kane continued to watch the two duke it out, impressed with the Jinchuriki's skills.

Killer Bee turned to face Kane, "Gonna let your lackey do all the work for ya, fool, ya fool?"

Kane watched Hidan get back up. He'd learned from his time fighting the Akatsuki that information was power. He wasn't prideful enough to let the Jinchuriki bait him into attacking. Not anymore, at least.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do."

Hidan charged and Killer Bee repeated the process, sending Hidan flying again.

Hidan snarled, _'This guy's good! I can't get a hit on him!'_

Killer Bee raised an eyebrow, "How are you still moving, yo? You've been cut up pretty badly in this fight! Maybe you should take flight! You can't defeat me, the one and only Killer Bee!"

Hidan charged.

Killer Bee sent him flying.

"Yo, what'd I just say, fool, ya fool?! You need to-"

Killer Bee turned and dodged as Kane flew passed him, a neutral look on Kane's face as he swung a kunai.

The kunai grazed his cheek ever so slightly, a thin trail of blood leaking out as Killer Bee jumped away.

"Yo! You're pretty fast, Kane Sanguis!"

Kane raised an eyebrow at him as he twirled the kunai, "Are you ready to calm down, Eight Tails?"

Killer Bee smirked, "No way, yo! I'm just getting started!"

Kane nodded, "So am I."

Killer Bee didn't scream. He didn't even gasp. He simply fell to the ground as his body began shaking as Kane began heating up his blood. Killer Bee showed no signs of discomfort on his face, he merely forced his arm up and stared curiously at the shaking limb.

"Yo! That's crazy!"

Kane raised an eyebrow at the immobile Jinchuriki, and Hidan sneered as he walked to stand above the man.

"Can we kill him, Kane-sama?"

"No, Hidan."

"But, Kane-samaaa!"

Killer Bee chuckled, and the three Missing Ninja turned to look at him in confusement.

 _"The Eight Tails is a major component~! Right from the top, he's a worthy opponent~! With him by my side, the notion of victory is not contradictory~!"_

Hidan yelled in shock and jumped away as Killer Bee became engulfed in the Eight Tails Chakra Cloak.

The three stared with wide eyes as Killer Bee's open wound healed nearly instantly, and Kane lost control of the man's blood.

Killer Bee smirked as he quickly jumped up, throwing both hands in the air with pinkies and pointer fingers stuck out as he yelled.

 _"OH YEAHHH!"_

Kane's eyes widened, _"Here he comes!"_

Before she knew what happened, Karin screamed in pain as she was flung backwards from a devastating blow, courtesy of Killer Bee.

The girl slammed into a tree, and fell unconscious immediately.

Kane's eyes widened in shock, _'So fast!'_

Killer Bee frowned at the unconscious redhead, _'Did I hit her too hard? I didn't want to hurt her... I thought for sure she'd be strong, traveling around with these two, yo. Hope she's okay.'_

Killer Bee turned to face Hidan before launching at him.

"Ehhh?! Hold up-"

Hidan jumped as Killer Bee slammed his fist into the Earth below him, and Hidan swung his scythe, slicing Killer Bee's back and drawing blood.

Kane's eyes went wide, and instantly he began heating up the man's blood again.

Killer Bee grimaced as he winced in pain, but the wound on his back healed so fast and the pain disappeared so quickly that the man was able to hold steadfast and not collapse.

Killer Bee swung his fist at Hidan, the man still in the air right above him, and slammed it into his chest. Hidan was sent flying, grimacing in pain as he landed on both feet and glared at Killer Bee.

Then, he smirked.

"I got him, Kane-sama! Looks like there's still a use for my abilities against certain opponents!"

Kane nodded. Hidan's ritual was never truly needed, Kane could always kill someone instantly if Hidan managed to draw blood.

This was an exception, though.

Hidan began setting up his ritual, and Killer Bee stared curiously.

Hidan smirked as he licked Killer Bee's blood off his scythe.

Then gasped as Killer Bee slammed his fist into Hidan's chest, knocking him out of his circle.

Killer Bee fell to a knee as he howled in pain.

"Yo, why did that hurt me so?! That's not cool, ya fool!"

Killer Bee turned as a foot was slammed into _his_ face, and he went flying. He caught himself mid air and charged at Kane for the cheap shot, and Kane met him halfway.

Killer Bee watched, time seeming to slow down as Kane dodged each blow Killer Bee threw his way, and found he himself was unable to dodge Kane's blows in return.

 _'He's fast as hell, yo!'_

Killer Bee flared his Chakra, and Kane was launched away from the pulsing force Bee gave off.

He turned and charged as he saw Hidan making his way back to the circle.

 _'Gotta keep him away from that, or I'm toast!'_

Bee jumped in the air as he pulled his arm back and smirked.

 _'Let's make him roast!'_

He threw his arm and a giant tentacle flew out and slammed into Hidan, the man crying out as he was flung into the lake behind him.

Bee landed and turned just in time to see Kane's fist plant itself into his cheek, and Killer Bee's right arm morphed into a tentacle as well as he slammed it into Kane, sending the boy flying with a gasp.

 _"Always win with a grin, 'cause I got the funky flow~! Oh Yow~!"_

Bee began transforming as Hidan crawled out of the lake, gasping for air. Kane landed on his feet as he glared at the transforming Jinchuriki.

 _"Take you down, to the ground, with a punishing blow~! Oh Wow~!"_

The man completed his transformation, his body taking the shape of the Eight Tails as his voice intermingled with that of his biju's.

 _ **"OH YEAH!"**_

Kane growled lowly as he willed the water from the lake behind Bee to rise into the air. Killer Bee took no notice of it as his attention was entirely on Kane, and he began forming a ball of pure Chakra in his mouth.

Kane's eyes widened, remembering Naruko doing something similar when in her Four Tails state.

 _'If that hits me, I'm finished!'_

 _ **"YO, TRY TO DODGE THIS, BRO!"**_

Bee prepared to fire off the _Tailed Beast Bomb_ at Kane, only to pause in confusement as a shadow grew above him.

He looked up, and the bomb dissipated due to his lack of concentration as he stared in shock at a large body of water floating above his head.

Kane willed the floating water to _drop,_ and it completely submerged both Killer Bee and the entire area, water flying everywhere. Kane kept a careful eye on Karin and Hidan, ensuring that any water heading in their directions was redirected away from them.

He willed the water around Bee to heat up to a boil, but the octopus creature simply glanced at his skin curiously as he began burning.

He faced Kane, still completely underwater, and he _roared._

The water was flung away from him as Kane shielded his eyes, willing the water around him and his teammates as it flew every which way.

 _ **"YO, YOU DIDN'T THINK THAT WOULD WORK, DID YA? FOOL, YA FOOL!"**_

Kane grimaced as he stared at the octopus creature.

How was he supposed to defeat something like that?!

He shook his head.

He wasn't.

 _'What am I doing?! I didn't come here to pick a fight! I just wanted to stay close to the guy, so I could take out the Akatsuki! I need to get us out of here!'_

Kane willed the water near Karin to pick the girl up, and did the same with Hidan. He brought the water under his feet into the air, carrying him with it, and launched himself away, doing the same with Hidan and Karin. Each one of the trio was heading in a completely different direction from the others.

He grimaced, it wasn't the best plan, especially since Karin was _unconscious._ As soon as he began getting too far away from the girl, he'd set her down somewhere and pray she made it out okay.

 _ **"YO, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"**_ Bee screamed as he attempted to slam his tentacles into Kane.

Kane began dodging and weaving as he continued to fly through the air, and as he made it into the forest nearby, the tentacles stopped following him.

 _ **"COME BACK KANE SANGUIS! WE WERE JUST GETTING STARTED, YO!"**_

As Killer Bee's voice began fading away in the distance, Kane let out an annoyed, slightly relieved sigh.

* * *

Hidan gave a sheepish smile as he scratched the back of his head.

"Well, this is awkward..."

Kisame smirked, "Just a bit, Hidan-san."

Hidan blinked and turned to glance behind him, then turned back to face Kisame.

"You're hunting the Eight Tails, eh? He's that way." Hidan thumbed behind himself, and Kisame chuckled.

"Thanks. You're following the Nine Tails, right?"

Hidan smirked, "Yeah. Kane-sama is different from the others. He was chosen by Jashin-sama as his champion!"

Kisame gave a shark like smile, "Really, now? Are you sure about that, Hidan-san?"

Hidan gave an annoyed look, "Ehhh? What do you mean, you bastard?"

"You're declaring Kane Sanguis as the champion of your precious Jashin. What if you're wrong? What if he's not the chosen of your deity? Wouldn't that make you a blasphemer?"

Hidan snarled in pure fury as he began shaking, "Shut your damn mouth, you atheist! Kane-sama has proven time and time again that he is exactly who I thought he was!"

Kisame continued to smile as he put his hands up in a gesture of surrender, "Hey now, doesn't mean shit to me. I was just asking. Really, can't believe you betrayed the Akatsuki though."

Hidan relaxed slightly as he continued to glare, "Yeah, what're you gonna do about it, bastard?"

Kisame shrugged as he began walking towards Hidan, "Nothing. Not now, at least. I'm here for the Eight Tails, not for you."

Hidan said nothing as Kisame came to a stop at his side, both men staring straight ahead.

"But know this, Hidan-san. You're a traitor to the Akatsuki... And you'll get your comeuppance, eventually."

Kisame walked away, and Hidan spat on the ground.

"Bastard."

* * *

A punched Bee on the head, the Jinchuriki groaning as he rubbed it in pain.

"You ruined our trap, Bee!"

"No I didn't! It was already ruined cause of the Nine! I saw a chance and took it, It was my time! Yo!"

The Raikage growled at his 'little brother' as he put his hands on his hips.

Then, he turned to glare into the woods as a figure slowly began approaching.

Kisame smirked at the two of them.

"Hello. My name is Kisame Hoshigaki. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The two Kumo ninja glared at him, and Kisame chuckled.

 _'I still don't really understand, but I'll do as you say, Madara Uchiha. I will lose this fight, and I will hide myself within Samehada, for a while.'_

Kisame gave them a shark-like smirk.

"Shall we begin?"

* * *

Karin groaned as she rubbed her head, looking around and realizing she had no idea where she was.

"Ack! My clothes! I'm all wet! What the hell, Kane!"

She stood up as she began feeling for any Chakra signatures nearby.

Nothing.

"Where the hell is everybody?!" The girl cried out.

* * *

Kane's eyes were wide, a small smirk on his face as he looked at the man across from him.

Triple-tomoed, Sharingan eyes stared back casually.

"I finally found you, Itachi Uchiha."

Itachi raised a delicate eyebrow, "So you say. Or was I the one who found you, Kane-kun?"

Kane sneered as he began cracking his neck.

Itachi calmly watched him, his face showing no emotion at all.

Kane immediately began heating up his blood, having no intention of ever allowing the man before him to hit him with a Genjutsu. His eyes went wild as he gave Itachi a vicious smile.

"Let's see how strong the great Uchiha prodigy really is."

* * *

End of Chapter 66


	69. Chapter 67

_"Orochimaru is dead." White Zetsu's voice rang throughout the area, and the entirety of the Akatsuki stared at the plant in surprise._

 _"Ahhh, so is Deidara-senpai... He died to the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. Tobi saw it with his own eyes!" Tobi announced, and Itachi stared at the masked member blankly._

 _Why he continued to keep up the farce, Itachi didn't know._

 _Everyone present knew he was the true leader._

 _"Well, looks like it's down to just six, eh?" Kisame said with humor in his voice._

 _"Seven, if you count Zetsu-senpai as two!" Tobi cheered._

 _"The Kyuubi Jinchuriki strikes again." Pain spoke with narrowed eyes as he glanced at Itachi._

 _Itachi said nothing, listening quietly._

 _"So, the snake man's dead. That's one less traitor to the Akatsuki still walking around... There are still two left, though." Kisame pointed out, and Pain nodded._

 _"Hidan will be dealt with, when the time comes."_

 _"I can't believe Hidan-senpai would betray the Akatsuki! Oh, the Nine Tails had another person with him, too!" Tobi declared, and Pain looked at the masked man._

 _"Who?"_

 _"An Uzumaki! Karin Uzumaki, I believe."_

 _Pain showed no indication that the news surprised him._

 _"An Uzumaki? Following the Nine Tails? And Hidan, too? Quite the team." Kisame smirked._

 _"Ohhh that's not all! It turns out, Kabuto Yakushi was following the Nine Tails around too!"_

 _Pain narrowed his eyes, "So, the Nine Tails recruited both of the remaining traitors to the Akatsuki."_

 _Itachi continued to listen, his thoughts swimming with possibilities._

 _"Yeah! I think that was it, though... The Nine Tails, The Uzumaki, Hidan and Kabuto! That's his whole team, I think."_

 _"Kabuto betrayed the Akatsuki because he was a loyal follower of Orochimaru, right?" White Zetsu asked curiously._

 _"Yes, but Orochimaru is dead, now." Black Zetsu responded._

 _"Do you think he'll continue following the Nine Tails Jinchuriki?" White Zetsu asked._

 _"It doesn't matter," Pain stated simply, "What matters is that we capture the last two Jinchuriki. We're close to achieving our goals; don't muck this up."_

 _"Itachi, Kisame, go capture the Nine Tails." Pain ordered, and Tobi stuck his hand up in the air._

 _"Oh oh! What about me, Leader-sama?!"_

 _"We'll discuss that later." Pain said simply._

 _Pain's eyes scanned everyone in the room, although his eyes seemed to trail on Itachi longer than the others._

 _"Dismissed."_

* * *

 _"You wouldn't be acting so high and mighty if Itachi were here!"_

Naruko's voice continued to flow through his mind, as if it were taunting him.

 _"S-s-sorry, I didn't mean... I wasn't..."_

 _"It's alright, Naruko. I know you didn't mean anything by it."_

Sasuke. Why was he remembering this now, of all times?

 _"I guess you're wondering who Itachi is."_

Kami, that conversation...

 _"Itachi is my elder brother."_

It felt like a lifetime ago.

 _"Itachi was loved by everyone, He was supposed to be the next Uchiha Corps Chief, not me..."_

Itachi meant the world to Sasuke. Kane knew. He had seen it, all those years ago, inside the other boys eyes.

 _"I loved my brother... Still do. He was the most important person in my life."_

Itachi was Sasuke's most precious person.

 _"I don't believe it. Not for a second. My brother loved Shisui. Shisui was his best friend."_

No. Not was. _Is_. Itachi _Is_ Sasuke's most precious person. What Kane was doing was _wrong,_ and he _knew_ it. Itachi wasn't supposed to be his foe.

 _"I'm going to find Itachi, and bring him home."_

He never would've thought he'd be standing before Itachi one day, not as a friend, but as an _enemy._

 _Itachi Uchiha..._

 _Kane hoped he got to meet him someday._

As Kane's eyes settled on the cloak Itachi wore, the cloak that signified a threat to his life, the cloak of the Akatsuki...

All doubts were washed away.

Kane got low to the ground, preparing to pounce as Itachi continued to give him that same penetrating gaze.

Kane smirked at Itachi.

And then, he charged.

Kane swung his fist towards Itachi's face, and his eyes widened slightly as Itachi caught it casually.

Kane glared up into the man's Sharingan eyes.

He attempted to sweep Itachi's legs, only for the Uchiha to jump in the air above him, pulling his arm back as he landed behind Kane and gripping it in a tight lock as he pulled out a kunai, gently placing it at Kane's neck.

 _'Those eyes of his!'_

"Hmm? Your skin is red, Kane-kun. It would seem Tobi didn't learn everything about you after all." Itachi stated calmly, and Kane smirked back towards the man.

"Your Genjutsu won't work on me, Itachi. I'm immune to it."

Itachi's eyes stared into his own, and for some odd reason Kane felt a shiver roll down his spine.

"Is that so?"

Kane's smirk widened.

Itachi jumped backwards as Kane burst into water, his eyes trained on the liquid as rather than falling towards the Earth it jumped towards him.

Itachi jumped, and jumped, and jumped. The water continued chasing him as they played a game of cat and mouse.

Itachi turned, his eyes narrowed as he dodged a swipe of a kunai from Kane, and then jumped in the air as the water attempted to grab him.

Kane threw the kunai up at Itachi as the water jumped as well, the two flying towards him in tandem.

Itachi performed several hand signs, _"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"_

The giant ball of fire collided with the water and kunai, both elements halting in their tracks as the kunai was flung away. Steam began to fill the area as the two jutsu cancelled each other out.

Itachi landed on the ground, his eyes darting left and right as the thick steam made it harder to see.

His eyes widened as he felt Kane's breath on the back of his neck.

"This is my domain now, Itachi."

Kane slammed a kunai into the man's back, and he coughed up blood as he flinched in pain.

Kane's eyes narrowed.

 _'I can't feel his blood, which means...'_

Itachi burst into several crows as Kane shielded his eyes.

Kane whirled around and dodged as several shuriken flew passed him, and his eyes widened as he found even more coming his way.

Kane began dodging and weaving, using his speed to his advantage as he struggled to avoid the numerous shuriken.

His eyes trailed off for a moment as he noticed Itachi throw a pair of kunai in a completely different direction, and the kunai _banged_ into each other, redirecting one of them towards him from a separate angle.

Kane had a sudden case of deja vu.

 _"Come on, brat! Learn how to dodge better!" Yuka-sensei yelled out to him with a scowl as she continued to hurl rocks at him. Kami, but the old bat was strong as an ox!_

Kane smirked as he found altering his body to also dodge the kunai coming at him from the side came to him like second nature, and soon the shuriken barrage stopped as Itachi eyed him up and down.

"Impressive, Kane-kun."

Kane smirked at the Uchiha as he felt the water he'd been calling forth from the lake in the distance grow closer and closer.

And it was coming from directly _behind_ the Uchiha.

"You haven't seen anything yet."

Itachi raised a delicate eyebrow, "Is that so? You certainly like to talk big. Well then, show me."

Kane charged the man again, and once more he found Itachi's Taijutsu to be more than a match for his own.

But Itachi never saw the water coming, as it slammed into him from behind.

Kane gave the man a vicious smirk as he began heating up the water to a boil, and Itachi stared at him with wide eyes as his back began _sizzling._

Only to burst into smoke.

Kane's eyes went wide with shock, _'Another clone?!'_

He turned around and willed the water forward as another giant ball of fire descended upon him, colliding with the wall of water Kane formed in front of himself.

Itachi stood calmly as he watched the smoke and steam rise into the air, slowly revealing Kane to still be standing, completely unharmed.

Kane smirked, "Your fire won't be much help to you against me, Itachi."

Itachi said nothing as he eyed the woods behind Kane, the steady stream of water growing faster and more tendrils appearing from the woods.

"You're drawing water from a nearby source." Itachi stated simply.

"How will you deal with this, Itachi?" Kane asked as half a dozen tendrils of water launched towards the Uchiha.

Itachi let out a small laugh, his hair shielding his eyes, and he began jumping away as he avoided the tendrils.

Kane glared at the nimble Uchiha as he grimaced slightly in pain.

 _'I've gotten better, but still, I don't know how long I can keep heating up my blood like this... I need to end this as fast as possible!'_

Kane's eyes went wild as he saw it happen. A single root from a tree, sticking out from the ground near Itachi, and the man never noticed it.

Itachi tripped, and as he quickly caught his footing, the tendrils of water descended upon him, submerging the man in water.

 _'I got him!'_

Kane began boiling the water, a victorious smirk on his face as he watched the man attempt to scream in pain, the water suffocating his cries.

Kane continued to smirk as he watched the man writhe. He wouldn't kill him, but he'd certainly hurt him enough to knock him out.

 _'What... What am I going to do after that?'_

The thought made Kane frown.

He still had no answer.

His eyes widened in shock as he felt someone grab him from behind, putting him in a half nelson as they held a kunai up to his neck.

"You shouldn't let your guard down, Kane-kun."

Kane stared at the man in complete disbelief.

"How?!"

He turned back to face the Itachi still submerged in water, and found that Itachi standing there, calmly, still underwater as he stared at Kane with a neutral expression. The boiling water around him seemed to no longer be causing the man even slight discomfort.

"Tell me something, Kane-kun."

Kane looked at the man behind him in surprise, and Itachi continued to speak.

"What do you fight for?"

Kane snarled as he began struggling, but found the Uchiha was much stronger than he looked as Kane couldn't even budge.

"I fight for myself! I fight for my survival!"

Itachi stared at him blankly, "And so you hunt the Akatsuki." He stated not as a question, but as a fact.

"Yeah, I fight to kill you bastards off!" Kane snapped as he ceased his struggles.

"I see."

Kane smirked as a tendril of water slammed into the Uchiha, but his smile quickly fell away as the man **_'poofed'_** away. Kane narrowed his eyes as he suddenly couldn't feel the first Itachi inside the water anymore, and as he looked back towards the previously submerged Uchiha, he found him no longer inside his water. Instead, the man was a mere ten feet away, standing calmly and looking completely unharmed.

 _'What the hell is going on?! Is this Genjutsu?! No, he can't use Genjutsu on me! So long as I'm in pain, Genjutsu doesn't effect me!'_

"And what will you do, Kane-kun, after the Akatsuki is gone?" Itachi continued their conversation as if nothing happened.

Kane glared hatefully at the man, "What's it to you?"

Itachi stared back calmly, completely unaffected by his anger, "Indulge me."

"Why should I do that? You won't even be _around much longer!"_ Kane roared as the water behind the man slammed into him.

Or, it attempted to at least.

 _'What?! Where did he go?!'_

Kane looked left and right.

And then gasped as a hand found his throat, slamming him into a tree.

 _'When did that tree get behind me?!'_

"This is my reality, Kane-kun. I'm sorry, but you won't be defeating me here today." Itachi stated calmly, and his grip tightened on Kane's throat.

Kane struggled, finding it difficult to breathe, and he willed the water to him.

Itachi let him go as he jumped away, Kane gasping for breath and panting as the water flowed around him protectively.

Itachi stared, "What will you do once Akatsuki is no longer a threat?"

Kane glared up towards the man, "I'll take out anyone else that's a threat to me!"

Itachi raised a delicate, perfect eyebrow, "And then?"

"And then nothing! I'm only focused on getting to that point!"

"Will you return to Konoha?"

Kane recoiled, completely unprepared for such a question.

"What?" He asked stupidly.

"Will you return to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, after you have completed your task?" Itachi repeated back stoically.

Kane snarled, "Hell no! I'll never go back to that shithole!"

"Where will you go, then?"

Kane stuttered out several incomprehensible words.

He had _not_ expected to have this conversation today.

"Why do you care?" Kane asked suspiciously as a way of avoiding giving the man an answer.

Itachi closed his eyes as he seemed to be deep in thought.

"There are those out there that would see the world become a better place. There are those out there that would see the world burn to the ground. I wonder, Kane-kun, which one you are."

Kane stared at the man in apprehension.

 _'What the hell is he talking about?'_

Itachi's eyes snapped open, and Kane was reminded once again of how intimidating those eyes could be.

"You say you won't return to Konoha. You say you fight for your very life. What kind of life will you live then, Kane-kun? Is a life in self-inflicted loneliness truly worth living?"

Kane kept quiet as he watched the man.

"You say you fight to defeat your enemies, and yet, once your enemies are gone, you will have nothing. I have met others like you, Kane Sanguis, and they all end up the same way."

Kane narrowed his eyes as he stood up, "Which is?"

"Dead." Itachi stated plainly, and Kane snarled in response.

Kane was about to rant at the man, but Itachi held a single hand up, demanding silence.

Kane didn't know why, but he obeyed.

"Once you have run out of enemies, you will have nothing... So you will find more. You will find enemy after enemy to fight, until finally, you find one you cannot vanquish. You will die, and your life and struggles will have been meaningless."

Kane snapped his mouth shut angrily as he glared at the man.

"So what are you saying? I should go back to Konoha?"

"Would that be so bad?" Itachi asked calmly.

Kane glared, "Yes, it would, actually. My life in Konoha _sucked._ I won't go back to that cesspool."

"Do you truly have nothing there? Nobody waiting for you?"

Kane grit his teeth for a moment before answering, "No. I have nobody."

He knew it was a lie.

The image of Sasuke flashed in his mind's eye. Then Kakashi. Then...

Naruko.

Itachi stared at him, and for some strange reason, Kane felt as if Itachi could see straight through him.

"So you will not return to your home."

Kane snarled at the term. _Home._ Everyone kept telling him Konoha was his _Home._ Karin, Naruko, Sasuke, Kakashi, and now Itachi! Konoha had _never_ been a home to him.

 _Never._

"No, I won't. I'd sooner see that place _burn to the ground."_

Kane knew he was overreacting, but he was _sick and tired_ of being told to return to Konoha.

Itachi closed his eyes, "I see."

"What is this, Itachi?! Decided to give me life advice before you murder me and steal my biju?" Kane snapped angrily, and Itachi's eyes opened slowly.

"How can I take something that you don't have?"

Kane froze.

The two stared at each other.

"Regardless, I will be capturing you here." Itachi stated simply as he closed his eyes, and Kane glared.

He'd wasted enough time as it was. Every second he spent talking was a second closer towards being forced to cool off his blood.

"Is that so?!" Kane snapped as he charged the man, the multiple tendrils of water following close behind.

Kane's eyes widened and he came to a sudden halt as Itachi's eyes snapped open, his Mangekyou Sharingan glaring at him.

"Yes, _it is."_

Kane stared as the Sharingan began spinning, focused solely on him.

 _"Amaterasu!"_

Kane screamed in pain as the black fire began consuming him, and he willed his water towards him and he completely submerged himself in the liquid.

It didn't help. He continued burning, and he continued screaming.

Then, just when he thought he wouldn't be able to take it anymore, the pain _stopped._

Kane fell to the ground with a _**'thunk!'**_ as the water dropped to the earth as well, bathing the area around him in it as Kane lost complete control.

He heard the sound of quiet footsteps, and Kane struggled to open his eyes. He found Itachi staring down at him, a neutral expression on his face.

"H-how... You shouldn't..."

Kane coughed up blood.

"You shouldn't have been able to stop the flames from killing me... And your eye, it should be bleeding..."

Itachi stared down at him, not saying a word.

Kane struggled to even lift a finger.

 _'Is this... Is this really it?'_

Kane's eyes widened in shock as suddenly, a large, black crow jumped onto his face,

 _And began crawling into his mouth._

Kane gasped for breath as he attempted to spit out the large crow that was forcing it's way down his throat.

 _How was it even doing that without making him practically explode?!_

The crow completely descended into his stomach, and Kane gasped in pain as bile made it's way up his throat.

Kane tilted his head to the side, and threw up.

He found he couldn't breathe, his nose and mouth completely surrounded by the throwup, and Itachi casually tilted his head back towards the sky with a small nudge from a single foot.

Kane stared up at Itachi with dead, lifeless eyes.

 _He'd lost._

* * *

His eyes snapped open as he gasped, falling to his knees as he began hyperventilating.

 _What?!_

Kane's head jumped up as he continued to pant and gasp for breath.

Itachi was standing there, staring at him calmly, his Mangekyou Sharingan activated.

"What... Where..."

Kane looked around, and realized...

 _He was standing right in the very spot he'd first met Itachi at._

"Your ability to avoid Genjutsu by heating up your blood is an excellent technique, Kane-kun." Itachi's silky voice reached him, and Kane snapped his attention back towards the Uchiha.

Itachi's Mangekyou began spinning slowly.

"But it means nothing, if you get caught before you begin doing it."

Kane realized then what had happened.

 _'He... He hit me with Tsukuyomi...'_

His eyes widened in denial.

 _'From the very beginning, it was all a Genjutsu.'_

"You're going to come with me now, Kane-kun. It's impressive you managed to withstand my Tsukuyomi, but you've lost this fight." Itachi stated calmly as he began walking towards him.

 _"Your Genjutsu won't work on me, Itachi. I'm immune to it."_

 _"Is that so?"_

He must've sounded so _foolish._

Kane stood up quickly, feeling his head spin as he did so, and Itachi paused before furrowing his eyebrows.

"You shouldn't be able to move."

Kane glared hatefully at the man as he panted.

 _'What is he talking about?! He could've knocked me unconscious! He could've...'_

Kane's eyes locked onto a figure nearby. A strange, plant like figure that was attached to a tree, watching the two of them carefully.

 _'Zetsu...'_

Then Kane understood.

 _'Itachi intentionally left me in this state... He wants me to escape, for whatever reason... He doesn't want Zetsu to know he's letting me go...'_

Itachi could've finished him off anytime he wanted to.

The thought sent Kane into a fury he hadn't felt since Sasori.

Kane pulled out a kunai, and _sliced_ his palm.

Itachi's frown deepened, "What are you doing, Kane-kun?"

Kane glared at his cut palm as he trembled ever so slightly.

 _"A Sanguis never uses their own blood, brat!"_ Yuka-sensei's voice cut through his mind like a hot kunai.

But Kane would make an exception.

Just this once.

He sneered at Itachi as he began pulling his own blood from his body, the liquid flowing through the air. He felt for the water source in the distance he knew existed, and he began calling the water to him, just as he'd done in the Tsukuyomi.

Kane glanced down at his left shoulder, as he carefully brought the blood forth and through his palm.

He wouldn't simply walk away like Itachi wanted.

He wouldn't let him have that victory.

Kane snarled at Itachi as the man continued to eye the blood carefully, his face the perfect picture of neutrality.

 _'I may have lost, but just like with Sasori...'_

Kane formed a spear with the blood as he charged the man.

 _'I'll be the last one standing!'_

Kane swung his blood spear downwards at Itachi, and the man merely stepped back as the blade missed.

Kane began heating up his blood as he tossed the spear into the air and sprinted underneath it, heading straight for Itachi.

Itachi grimaced as he dodged the punch, and Kane's eyes widened in pure joy.

 _'He's not as fast as he made himself out to be in the Genjutsu!'_

Kane began throwing blows at the Akatsuki member, and Itachi was able to block and dodge most of them.

He was struggling, though, and Kane could tell.

Kane smirked as the blood spear descended on Itachi, and the man burst into a flock of crows as Kane turned and charged upon spotting the real Itachi, the blood spear flying right behind him.

Itachi grimaced as he gripped his eye in pain.

Kane's eyes widened as he landed a solid punch on the man, and Itachi's eyes snapped open as he glared before kicking Kane away.

 _'Using that Tsukuyomi took a lot out of him!'_

Kane grimaced as pain shot through his body.

It took a lot out of Kane, too.

He took several steady breaths, attempting to calm himself.

 _'I was hit by Tsukuyomi, and now I've ripped my own blood from my body... I'm not going to last much longer.'_

Kane snarled as his blood spear morphed into a katana and he attempted to cut the man.

Itachi jumped back, panting as Kane paused and did the same.

 _'I may be reaching my limits, but Itachi's probably only reeling from the after-effects of the Tsukuyomi. I won't be able to last as long as him, and as soon as he recovers from the Tsukuyomi, I'm toast!'  
_

Kane glanced down at his blood sword, and returned his focus back to Itachi as he felt the blood from his shoulder reach the tip of the blade.

Right where he wanted it.

Itachi closed his eyes as he gripped his face in pain again, and Kane's eyes went _wild._

 _'Now!'_

Kane threw the blood katana at Itachi, and the man's eyes snapped open as he sidestepped. Several tiny drops of the red liquid landed on Itachi's cheek as the blade nearly grazed him, continuing to fly passed him before freezing in mid air, flipping around, and launching towards him once again.

Itachi launched a large fireball at the blood, and Kane scowled as his blood was rendered useless as it became consumed by the flames.

Kane grimaced as he fell to one knee, panting from exhaustion and pain.

Itachi turned to face him once again, "That's enough, Kane-kun. You can't keep going for much longer, you've lost this fight."

Kane sneered as he stood back up. He couldn't keep heating up his blood much longer, he was exhausted and hurting and he'd ripped his own blood from his body which was making him feel lightheaded and nauseous.

He needed to get the hell out of here.

"You're right. I can't. But you've already lost, Itachi."

Itachi turned around in shock as a tendril of already boiling water descended down upon him.

Kane's eyes narrowed as he watched and felt the water halt before reaching the man, having already collided into something solid and sturdy.

A red aura began glowing around the Uchiha, and Kane knew what was happening.

 _'Susanoo!'_

Kane quickly turned and sprinted off, willing his blood to continue burning for _just a bit longer._

By the time Itachi turned around, Kane was already gone.

* * *

As Kane began hopping through the trees, praying to Kami that he would find Karin or Hidan before running into any Kumo ninja, he thought back to Itachi's words.

 _"You've lost this fight."_

Kane smirked.

No, Itachi was wrong. This situation was no different than the one with Sasori. He'd survived, and his opponent hadn't.

Kane continued to smirk as he stared at the cut in his palm.

He'd won this fight.

And Itachi didn't even know it.

* * *

End of Chapter 67.


	70. Chapter 68

_He followed behind the blonde, feeling completely out of place and unsure of himself._

 _The girl turned to face him, and smiled fondly as she reached back and gently grabbed ahold of his hand._

 _"It's alright." Her voice was so soothing, and Kane could only nod as he felt hypnotized._

 _She continued to drag him behind her, never letting go of his hand even as they came to a stop in front of a small stone tablet._

 _The Memorial Stone._

 _"Hi, Mom... Sorry, I know it's been awhile since I've stopped by." Naruko smiled gently at the slab of rock, and Kane continued to stand beside her awkwardly as she held his hand._

 _He felt like he wasn't welcome. Like he was intruding on a private moment. He wasn't good with stuff like this. Yet, Naruko wanted him to meet her mother, and he couldn't say no to the girl over anything, let alone a request such as this one._

 _"I brought a friend! Well, more than a friend, actually..."_

 _The girl seemed to flush slightly as her grip on his hand tightened for a moment._

 _"Ah! I mean, he's my teammate. Just like the bastard is. I told you he'd be on my team, mom! Kakashi's my sensei too, can you believe that? I know you're probably happy to hear that. Dad always said you loved all of his students. Especially Obito!"_

 _Naruko turned and smiled fondly at him, and Kane felt himself fight off a flush of pleasure at the look._

 _"This is Kane. Kane Sanguis. You remember him, right? I used to talk all about him. He's my teammate now. And I couldn't be happier about that."_

 _Kane felt a warm feeling settle within his belly, and he couldn't remember the last time simple words had made him feel so happy._

 _The two Genin sat down in front of the Memorial Stone, Naruko regaling her mother with stories as she caught her up on what she'd been up to with her life._

 _Kane listened quietly, never speaking a word._

 _He smiled the entire time._

* * *

Karin found him before he found her, as was expected.

"Kane! Thank Kami you're alright!" The girl sighed with relief, and Kane nodded in response.

Then, the girl did something completely unexpected. She dashed towards him, slammed into him...

And hugged him.

Kane looked completely lost on what to do. He wasn't sure how to react to the emotional display, and he stood there awkwardly.

 _'Kami, even after all these years, my social skills suck ass...'_

Kane carefully placed his arms around the girl, returning the hug uncomfortably.

Karin released him as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Where's the bastard?!"

Kane shook his head, "I don't know."

"Well, we better go find him, then. Although I'd rather we just left him..." She mumbled the last bit.

"I fought Itachi Uchiha." Kane stated blandly, and the girl froze.

"And?"

Kane smirked, "I both lost, and won."

Karin looked annoyed as she raised an eyebrow, "What the hell does that mean?"

Kane gave the girl a cheeky grin as he began walking away.

 _"Hey! Don't ignore me!"_

* * *

She slammed her fist into her desk, the Jounin squadron in front of her recoiling in fear as she trembled in pure _fury._

"And you have _no idea_ who could've done this?!" She demanded an answer.

"No, Mizukage-sama... The entire squadron was found dead, and there weren't any signs of a battle having taken place. The only things we found were several stab wounds on some of the corpses."

Mei Terumi glared at her desk as she continued to shake in anger.

"I want to know who did this, and I want to know _now!"_

"Hai, Mizukage-sama!" The Jounin responded before the group quickly ran out of her office.

Mei leaned back in her chair as she crossed her arms. Chojuro, having stood beside the woman for the conversation, slowly and cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Kami, I can't believe this, Chojuro..."

Chojuro nodded slowly as he looked like he was about to cry, "Ao is dead..."

Mei closed her eyes in sorrow.

"And his Byakugan was stolen."

* * *

 _"Kane-sama!"_

Kane sighed with relief as Hidan jumped out in front of him and Karin.

Karin huffed, clearly not as pleased as him to have found the man, "Looks like the team's back together again."

"Kane-sama, I ran into Kisame!"

Kane's eyes widened slightly, "And?"

Hidan snorted, "And nothing, Kane-sama. I'll fight him when you're around, but no way in hell am I gonna take on a guy like that by myself. I did watch him fight the Raikage and Eight Tails, though..."

The two watched him carefully as he began smirking, "Kisame Hoshigaki is no more."

Kane looked pleased at the news as he nodded.

"We need to get out of Lightning Country."

* * *

Minato stared up at the dark clouds baring down over Konoha. For some reason, he felt they were an omen of things to come.

"Sensei?"

He turned to face Kakashi, and gave him a disarming smile.

"It's nothing."

Kakashi nodded before walking forward and handing his old sensei the missive.

Minato's eyes scanned the parchment before closing them thoughtfully.

"Kane-kun's been causing quite the ruckus in Lightning Country I see."

Kakashi nodded, "I still think you need to keep Team 7 on the mission, sensei. It should be Naruko and Sasuke that bring him home."

Minato kept his eyes closed, but his eyebrows narrowed slightly, "My decision is final, Kakashi."

Kakashi kept quiet as he continued to observe his old master.

Minato let out a sigh, "So that's, what, five Akatsuki members remaining?"

Kakashi nodded.

Minato hummed, "Well, at least Kane-kun has been efficient."

"Do you think he'll return after they're defeated?"

Minato shook his head, "I don't think it matters."

Kakashi's eyebrows shot up in surprise and confusion, "Sensei?"

Minato looked back towards the dark, ominous sky, "I don't think Akatsuki will go down quite so easily. Things are only going to get worse from here."

* * *

"Do you think he's stronger than us?" The girl asked her companion casually as she twirled a kunai.

Sasuke shrugged, "I'm not sure. He's no pushover, that's for sure, but I still have a hard time imagining the Dead Last being stronger than us."

Naruko hummed thoughtfully, "Do you think you could've taken him before you got your Mangekyou?"

Sasuke shrugged again.

Naruko glared, "You're no help, bastard."

"Well stop asking me questions you know I don't have the answer to, idiot."

The blonde growled lowly at him as she got in a battle stance.

"Whether he's stronger than us now or not, it doesn't matter! We'll keep growing, and when we get our chance to bring him home, we will!"

Sasuke nodded and got in a battle stance as well, prepared for the spar.

Naruko grinned with determination and fire.

"And we _will_ get our shot, bastard!"

* * *

Five days.

They'd been traveling for _five days_ , and had yet to lose him.

"Karin?" Kane asked for what felt like the thousandth time.

Karin nodded, "He's still following us."

Kane glared as the trio continued tree hopping.

Hidan sighed in annoyance, "Man, I tried telling you guys, once Zetsu's got you in his sights, there's no getting away from him!"

"This is _not_ good. Half of our strategy involved taking Akatsuki by surprise!" Karin continued to fret.

"Yeah, well, that's not happening anymore. They're going to keep tracking us now, and there's nothing we can do about it." Hidan grunted.

Karin looked at Kane worriedly, "What do we do, Kane?"

Kane said nothing as he continued to glare forward.

Then, he huffed in annoyance as he came to a stop and jumped down from the tree, his two companions following suit.

"Let's stop here for the night and make camp."

The two nodded, Hidan immediately jumping away to find food for the three, as usual.

Karin continued to frown at him, "Kane?"

Kane shook his head as he turned his back on the girl and began walking away.

"I need to think."

* * *

"You know, I don't think I ever asked..."

Naruko turned and looked as Sasuke curiously, wondering what was on the boy's mind.

"Why was your cousin with Kane?"

Naruko immediately frowned, her mood souring as she looked away. The two of them were sitting on the bridge, reminiscing about old times.

"I don't know." The girl murmured, clearly displeased.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, refusing to let the subject drop, "If we're going to rescue the Dead Last, we need to gather as much information about him as we can. That includes his teammates."

Naruko's head snapped to his so fast that he actually flinched back slightly, her face a picture of pure fury.

"They are _not_ his teammates! _We're_ his teammates!" The girl yelled.

Sasuke put both his hands up in a placating manner, "I know, I know, relax idiot."

Naruko calmed down slightly as she crossed her arms and pouted.

They sat there in contemplative silence for several moments, before Sasuke decided to break it.

"So?"

Naruko tsked, "I told you, I don't know."

"You don't seem very happy about it."

Naruko growled lowly at him, "Of course I'm not happy about it! My cousin is out there, right now, traveling the world with Kane, and I didn't even know about it! What's there to be happy about?!"

Sasuke eyed the fuming girl carefully, "You seemed to be on good terms with the girl when I first met her back at the Chunin Exams."

Naruko huffed, "Yeah. She's my cousin. I love her."

"And she loves you." Sasuke stated rather than asked.

Naruko nodded as a response.

"Then, maybe, she's doing it for your sake?"

Naruko gave the boy a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, maybe, she's traveling with Kane right now, because she knows you'd want her to?"

Naruko paused as she looked thoughtful. She hadn't thought about that.

The two fell back into silence for several long, drawn out minutes.

Then, Naruko turned back to face Sasuke, and gave him a dazzling smile.

"Yeah, that sounds like Karin alright."

* * *

"What do you mean, _four?"_ Karin asked, not understanding in the slightest. Her voice was loud and shrill in the quiet stillness of the night, the only other sounds being the quiet hoo'ing of a nearby owl and the crackling of the campfire.

Kane nodded sagely, "Exactly as I said. Akatsuki is down to only four members."

Hidan and Karin shared a look before Karin turned back to him, "Kane... You said you ran _away_ from Itachi."

Kane nodded, "I did."

Karin raised an eyebrow, "So then he's alive."

Kane nodded again, "He is."

"So then that means Akatsuki still has the leader called Pain, his partner, the masked member, Zetsu and Itachi."

Kane shook his head, "Itachi won't be a member for much longer."

Karin looked frustrated, "What do you mean? Out with it, Kane!"

The three descended into silence as Kane looked towards the raging fire before him. They would begin taking watches soon as they rested for the night.

Karin and Hidan watched Kane quietly, wondering what he was thinking about.

"Itachi is a dead man walking."

The two stared at him in shock.

"What do you mean?!" Karin snapped, her eyes narrowing.

Kane didn't answer, and Karin began to pale.

She knew all about Itachi's relationship to Sasuke. Kane had told her as much. He'd confided his troubling thoughts regarding Sasuke's older brother. It was the only thing he'd ever truly opened up to her about, clearly needing a second opinion.

She'd strongly voiced against hurting the man.

"What did you do, Kane?"

A slow, vicious smile began to grow upon Kane's face as he continued to stare into the flames, and Karin felt dread consume her entire being.

 _"What did you do?"_

* * *

The sound of retching filled the area as the man shook.

"So we really can't figure out what happened?" Tobi asked calmly as he stared at his trembling clansmen.

Zetsu shook his head as black Zetsu responded, "No. We know the Nine Tails Jinchuriki did something to him, but we have no idea what."

Tobi said nothing as he continued to stare down at Itachi with his one Sharingan eye.

He'd never seen the man look so weak before.

"We watched the whole fight, and still we have no idea what happened. What could Kane Sanguis have possibly done to him?" White Zetsu asked, a hint of concern lacing his voice for the struggling Uchiha.

"He never hurt Itachi other than landing a couple of punches. Nothing Itachi couldn't handle." Black Zetsu responded.

"Even the medics we've brought in have no idea what's wrong with him." White Zetsu added on.

Tobi shook his head, "That's not correct."

Zetsu turned to look at Tobi, waiting for clarification.

"The last medic we forced to overlook him discovered something interesting." Tobi continued without looking away from Itachi.

Itachi slowly forced himself to his feet as he stared up at Tobi, panting quietly.

"Whatever Kane-kun did you, Itachi, it's screwing with your blood."

Itachi said nothing as he slowly got control over himself, the waves of pain disappearing for a time and giving him temporary reprieve.

"What do you mean?" White Zetsu asked curiously.

"The medic ninja said that his blood was a darker color than usual... Typical signs of infection. Something got in him, and it's inside his blood." Tobi continued as he stared at Itachi, speaking as if the man weren't right in front of him.

"Did the medic ninja have anything else to say?" Black Zetsu asked.

Tobi nodded, "He did. He said that although he had no clue what was wrong with him, he'd seen things like this before. He estimated that Itachi would die within the next two weeks." Tobi spoke it so casually that he almost seemed pleased with the fact.

White Zetsu gasped in shock as he and Black Zetsu began mumbling to each other.

Itachi said nothing as he closed his eyes.

* * *

Kane, Karin and Hidan found themselves tree hopping the next morning as Karin continued to harass Kane.

"So your shoulder has been numb for over _two years,_ and you've just dealt with it?!" She asked in astonishment.

Kane nodded, "Yeah. It's the same feeling as when your foot or leg fall asleep. You get used to it after awhile."

Hidan smirked as he decided to butt in, "So you can manipulate blood while you're asleep, too?"

Kane shrugged, "It's not like I'm aware of my surroundings. But yeah, as long as I focus on it before I go to sleep, I can do it. It's easier than it sounds, too. I've never lost control, even after getting knocked out or entering the Blood Well."

Hidan looked confused, "The what?"

Kane waved him off.

Karin shook her head, "So, let me get this straight... You decided, 'hey, there's something inside this water, let me _drink the damned stuff and see what happens_ '?!"

He smirked, "Yeah."

Hidan guffawed, "That's awesome!"

Karin shook her head as Kane continued, "I tested it on a few rogue bandits. Put it in their water supply and watched what happened. It's a virus, a Kekkei Genkai based one."

Karin looked intrigued, "How does it work?"

Kane shrugged, "Don't ask me. I'm no medic ninja. All I know is that it's waterborne, and once it gets inside your body it infects your bloodstream. It only works on people with Kekkei Genkai, and it attacks the body, destroying the Kekkei Genkai on a cellular level. If you don't have a Kekkei Genkai, you're basically immune. If you have one, it destroys it, and you can't survive without your Kekkei Genkai if you're born with one. Kekkei Genkai's are a part of you, just like your heart or brain."

Karin went quiet, "And you used it on Itachi..."

Kane smirked, "Yeah. Got a few drops on his cheek, and when he was distracted I manipulated it into his mouth. His Sharingan may be difficult to trick, but he never even realized what was happening."

"Do you have anymore?" Hidan asked curiously, and Kane looked at the man in slight bewilderment.

"Anymore what?"

"Of the virus!"

He looked surprised, "Oh. No. I didn't have much to begin with, and I used it all trying to infect Itachi."

Kane pat his shoulder lightly as he rolled it.

"Still getting used to having blood flow through this." Kane mumbled.

Hidan began snickering, "So you infected your own blood with a bloodborne, Kekkei Genkai destroying virus, using _your_ Kekkei Genkai."

Kane nodded, "A Sanguis' blood would never betray them."

Hidan laughed heartily, "Jashin-sama truly has blessed you, Kane-sama!"

Karin said nothing as she continued to watch Kane through half-lidded eyes.

She wasn't nearly as happy about his little 'victory' as they were.

* * *

"Itachi is going to die." Tobi said simply to the two seated across from him, the room dark and giving off a strange feeling of foreboding.

"Is there really no cure?" Konan asked curiously, her familiar melodic voice soothing Pain's slightly frayed nerves. He would never admit it, but although he believed himself to be stronger than the man in front of him...

Madara Uchiha intimidated him.

"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. Regardless, Akatsuki doesn't have access to it. The level of treatment required for such a complex disease is beyond our reach." Tobi responded calmly, collectedly.

"What do we know about it?" Pain asked.

"The disease? Not much. Zetsu is currently tracking the Nine Tails, and found out as much as he could. It's a waterborne, bloodborne disease found in Water Country. If I had to guess, I'd say it was used as a form of warfare, back when the Country was first earning the name 'The Bloody Mist'."

Tobi paused as he seemed to grow lost in thought, intrigued by the entire situation.

"Kekkei Genkai's were a big deal back then, and the Country was destroying itself from the inside out. Most likely, it was created for the sole purpose of killing those with bloodline limits, and Kane-kun just happened to stumble across it."

Pain nodded, "So, you say Zetsu is tracking the Nine Tails."

Tobi's eye narrowed, "Indeed."

"What are we going to do about him?" Konan asked.

Tobi stood up as he interlocked his hands behind his back, looking at the two with a narrowed eye.

"The Nine Tails has given us more problems than I ever dreamed of. This is completely unacceptable. You, Pain, will put an end to this, once and for all. As the leader of the Akatsuki, failure will not be tolerated."

Pain nodded, "Understood."

"So where is the Nine Tails?" Konan asked.

"Zetsu is following him. We'll keep an eye on him, for now, and when we find out where exactly it is he's headed, we'll go from there. No sense is trying to chase him all across the Elemental Countries." Tobi replied with a wave of his hand.

"So we don't know for sure where he's headed?" The blue haired woman continued.

"At this point, I don't even think _Kane-kun_ knows where he's headed."

* * *

Itachi Uchiha was going to die.

And it was because of _him._

The thought felt surreal to Kane. It didn't seem like reality, it felt like a daydream he'd thought up randomly.

When Kane had awoken from the Tsukuyomi, he'd realized then and there, that he was no match for the Uchiha.

Itachi could've killed him. He could've knocked him out. He could've done _anything._

Kane had been completely at his mercy.

And he'd been _spared._

The thought that, once again, he'd lost...

He couldn't stand it.

Kane hated losing more than anything. He hated being defeated, knowing that he was no longer in control of his own life. It made him feel like the passed three years had been worthless. Why had he bothered leaving Konoha, if he wasn't going to be strong enough to survive on his own?

So he'd made Itachi _pay._

It was retribution, for making him feel so pathetic and worthless.

He wondered how Sasuke would react, knowing that in the end, Kane had gone through with it. He'd murdered Itachi. Not with his hands, but still, it was his fault that Itachi Uchiha was going to die.

And it would be a slow, agonizing death.

Kane didn't regret it.

Not one bit.

* * *

"He's still there..." Karin whispered to her two companions as the three found themselves resting for a few minutes.

Kane grunted, "We really aren't going to be able to lose Zetsu... And everytime we've tried to engage him, he's gotten away."

Hidan frowned, "So what do we do? Akatsuki knows where we are at all times now, and we know they know, and we know they know we know! Ehhh, wait, is that right?" He scratched the back of his head as he confused himself.

Karin gained a tick mark as she glared at him, "Dumbass..." She mumbled, and he glared back at her.

"What'd you say, bitch?!"

"I said you're a dumbass, dumbass!"

"Ohoho, I can't wait for the day I get to slit your damned throat."

Kane ignored the two as he contemplated what he would do.

Itachi and Kisame were both done for.

The strongest Akatsuki team was gone, and it was because of him, and Akatsuki knew it. Now, they were tracking him...

Kane had no doubts as to who they'd send to capture him next.

 _'What kind of ninja must Pain be, to keep people like Itachi and Kisame in line?'_

Kane would never admit it, but the thought scared him.

He wasn't going to be able to hunt Pain. He had no idea where he was, and had very little information on the man's skills to begin with.

For the first time, Kane would be the one that was hunted.

The thought put him on edge.

Karin and Hidan's mannerisms were suddenly pissing him off, too.

 _"Shutup!"_ Kane snapped as he glared at the ground, clenching his fists. Karin and Hidan both stopped bickering immediately as they watched him.

Kane let out a relieved sigh at the silence as he continued to grow lost in thought.

 _'If I'm going to be hunted, the least I can do is choose where we fight...'_

The thought gave him pause.

It was a good point.

 _'So, where will I go, then? I need to go somewhere where I'll have an environmental advantage... Water Country? I know the area well, and the excess water makes it a good fighting place for me...'_

But, he wasn't welcome in Water Country anymore, and he knew it. In fact, they would be on high alert for him now. He was more likely to get recognized in Water Country than he was even in Fire Country at this point.

 _'So if not there, then where? I need to go somewhere that has plenty of water...'_

His head snapped up as he realized just such a place.

A place that would benefit his skills even moreso than Water Country.

The very same place he'd passed by on his way to Bear Country, all those years ago.

Kane stood up and Karin and Hidan followed suit. The three took off, and his companions continued to look at Kane curiously.

"Is Zetsu still in range to hear our conversation?" Kane asked cautiously, and Karin shook her head.

"No."

Kane nodded, "Good."

"So, where are we going?" Karin asked curiously.

Kane hesitated, finalizing his decision as Hidan and Karin waited with baited breath.

"We're going to the Village Hidden in the Rain."

* * *

End of Chapter 68


	71. Chapter 69

Jiraiya of the Sannin frowned as he left the woman behind, having learned enough from her after taking advantage of her 'services'.

 _'So, this is where you've been hiding, Pain.'_

He knew Pain was the moniker the leader of the Akatsuki held. He also knew that, in reality, Pain was not the true master of the organization.

The masked man that was possibly Uchiha Madara was.

He wondered how much he would've truly known about the organization, were it not for his mole.

Jiraiya knew he was taking a big risk coming here. He shouldn't have walked directly into the village of the leader of the Akatsuki. Still, he wanted to confirm with his own eyes and ears that this is where the man was hiding. Now, he knew that all the intel his insider had been sending to him was correct.

 _'You've been a great help, Itachi.'_

* * *

The redhead let out a bored sigh as she continued watching Kane, her fist planted against her cheek. Hidan sat beside her, looking as bored as she did. The two were situated on stools near a small cafe, sheltering themselves from the rain.

"What are you even doing, Kane?"

Kane was sitting on the ground, his legs crossed, just barely outside of the rain's reach. Every now and then, he'd carefully stick his hand out, allowing the water to rush up against his skin.

"This rain's not natural." He stated plainly, and the two companions gave him a look.

"What do you mean?" Karin asked curiously.

"There's Chakra in the water. It's not natural water; it was created." Kane replied as he stuck his hand back out into it as he glanced up at the clouds.

Karin frowned at that, "Why would somebody intentionally make it rain?"

Kane shook his head, "I don't know. Maybe it's a sort of sensory ability. Maybe they want to hide something. Who knows. All I know, is that a jutsu of this caliber would require huge Chakra reserves..."

Hidan stood up and walked beside Kane, sticking his hand out and looking at the water curiously.

Kane stared dully as he continued his ministrations.

"It would take an elite ninja to do something like this."

* * *

"What's wrong?" The blue haired woman asked, and Pain glanced at his longtime friend before staring back out into the rain.

"The first strong Chakra signature I detected... I think they've figured out that I'm causing it to rain."

Konan looked unsurprised as she nodded, "That makes sense. We know that it's the Nine Tails Jinchuriki, and we know he's got a special connection to water."

Pain nodded as his eyes narrowed and he glanced in another direction, "The second Chakra signature is getting closer to the first."

"Who's the second?"

Pain said nothing.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?"

The two Ame civilians paused in surprise as they glanced down to find a brown haired young man staring up at them. Two others were sitting on stools some ways behind him.

They glanced at each other before shrugging and walking under the roof of the small cafe.

"Sure, what do you need?" The first Ame civilian asked.

Kane placed his hand back out under the rain as he stared up into the clouds, "Why does it always rain here?"

The two looked at each other before giving Kane a suspicious look.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Kane shook his head, "Just a small group of wandering mercenaries, looking for work. We were hoping to speak to the leader of your village, but it's pretty tight lipped around here."

The two relaxed as they nodded, "I see. Well, you won't be able to get an audience with Pain-sama."

The two behind Kane tensed, but the civilians took no notice. Kane showed no outward display of recognition of the name.

"Why not?"

"Nobody gets to see Pain-sama!"

Kane hummed thoughtfully as he continued playing with the rain.

"So, I take it that it's because of this 'Pain' that it's always raining?"

The two nodded as the second civilian spoke up for the first time, "Pain-sama is able to sense what everyone in the village is doing with that technique. He's watching over us, protecting us. He definitely already knows you're here."

Kane said nothing to that.

"We need to get going." The first civilian said to the second, and he nodded in response.

"Sorry but we have places to be." The civilian gave Kane a guilty smile, and Kane waved them off.

"It's fine. Thanks for your time."

As the two dipped out of sight, Hidan stood up suddenly, his stool screeching against the ground before falling over with a loud bang.

"We need to get out of here!"

Kane tilted his head slowly to look at Hidan with one eye.

He'd never seen the man look afraid before.

"We're not going anywhere." Kane said simply, and Hidan flinched as he began rubbing his arm uncertainly.

Karin stood up and took several steps forward, "Kane, maybe... Maybe Hidan's right. Maybe we're biting off more than we can chew. The leader of the Akatsuki is here! He's the Kage of the village, practically!"

Kane nodded, "Ironic, isn't it?"

Karin shook her head, "Do you really want to fight him here? They said he probably knows we're in the village! He's going to come for us!"

Kane said nothing as he stuck his hand back out into the rain.

"Kane-sama, I really..." Hidan seemed to choke on his words as he looked uncertain. Scared. Karin couldn't help but compare him to a small child, afraid of the unknown.

Kane stood up as he slowly walked out into the rain, turning to face the two as he stared blankly, the water matting down his hair and drenching him.

"It's always raining here. There's no better place in the world to fight him."

The two stared at Kane as he stuck both hands out, cupping the rain water as he glanced up towards the sky.

"Let him come."

* * *

"Konan. When I stop the downpour, use your ability to search for the intruder. I want to know who it is before I attempt to capture the Nine Tails."

"Got it." Konan replied as she watched Pain perform several hand signs.

Konan hoped the intruder wasn't who they both thought it was. It would make things complicated, seeing their old sensei, especially with the Nine Tails in the village.

She truly hoped the man wasn't here.

Deep down, though...

She knew.

* * *

Kane glared up at the sky as the rain stopped falling.

Hidan and Karin looked fearful, wondering what such an omen could mean for them.

"That's funny..." Kane drawled, and the two looked at Kane's back as he took several steps further out into the street.

"I don't remember telling the rain to stop."

Kane stuck both arms out as he stared up into the clouds.

Hidan and Karin both looked on, completely awestruck, as Kane closed his eyes.

And the rain started to fall again.

* * *

Konan hesitated as she watched the downpour begin anew.

"What's wrong? Why have you resumed the rain?"

Pain said nothing as he glared up into the rain.

"I haven't."

Konan's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not the one doing this. In fact, I can't even sense anything." Pain replied as he continued to glare.

"You can't... Sense anything?" Konan asked in confusion.

Pain shook his head, "No. The clouds are made of pure Chakra. My Chakra. When it rains, I can sense anything the rain touches..."

Pain turned to face the girl as his eyes narrowed even further.

"Now, I can't. It's raining, but I have no control over it anymore. It would seem the Nine Tails has decided to hijack my jutsu."

Konan frowned, "Is there no way for you to disperse the clouds?"

Pain shook his head, "It would take too long. We have more pressing matters at the moment. We must find the Nine Tails and stop the intruder."

Konan nodded, and the two took off.

* * *

Jiraiya froze as his black eyes met blue ones.

Slowly, he watched as the boy's eyes went wide with shock and what appeared to be anger.

Neither expected to find one another here.

 _"Hidan! Karin!"_ The boy snarled as he got into a battle position, and Jiraiya grimaced.

 _'Not good!'_

Jiraiya turned and took off as the trio behind him gave chase.

He hadn't come here expecting to find the Nine Tails brat! He didn't have time to deal with him; he was trying to get out of the village undetected, now! He got what he came here for.

 _'Shit. Is the Nine Tails brat hunting Pain?! Is he insane?!'_

Jiraiya dodged as a kunai flew passed his head, and he grimaced as he looked back and saw Kane snarling at him.

Definitely insane.

Jiraiya summoned two clones and they scattered into different directions, however the trio behind him followed the real him, completely disregarding the clones.

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, _'How did they know I was the real one?!'_

He turned and threw up a block as a kick flew into his arms, and he looked on in surprise as Kane was practically on top of him already.

 _'Fast!'_

Jiraiya threw a spinning kick, but Kane ducked under it before whipping out a kunai and attempting to slash his stomach.

He grabbed Kane's wrist with both hands as he threw his body backwards to avoid the kunai, then he twisted in mid air and slammed both feet into Kane's face, knocking the boy back as he used the boy's body to vault away.

Kane shook his head as he attempted to gather his wits about him after the blow, and Jiraiya smirked as his clones were both approaching the group from behind, completely unseen.

Then, Kane announced to Hidan that the clones were right behind them, and Jiraiya frowned as the ex-Akatsuki member turned and swiftly sliced both clones with his scythe before they could land either of the respective Rasengans they were carrying.

 _'How can they tell where everything is? It's like I'm fighting Byakugan users!'_

Kane's skin began turning red, and Jiraiya's frown deepened.

 _'That can't be good!'_

He ducked into a sewer as he began sprinting as fast as he could through the murky water.

Jiraiya turned his head as he heard the sound of a small splash, signifying that Kane had followed him into the sewer, and the Sannin's eyes widened as Kane was gaining on him _fast._

He turned and prepared for a Taijutsu battle, but was shocked when right before the boy reached him, he suddenly found himself _slipping._

The water underneath him had caused him to slip somehow!

He threw an arm back to catch himself as he used his other arm to catch Kane's wrist, the boy still attempting to stab him with a kunai.

The two stared at each other, both glaring.

"Tell me what you know about Pain!" Kane snarled, and Jiraiya grit his teeth in annoyance.

"I don't answer to you, kid. How about you get lost?"

Kane willed the water beneath Jiraiya to heat up, and the Sannin hissed in pain as he suddenly found his hand to be wrist-deep in burning hot water. He quickly withdrew his hand, causing his entire body to fall onto the ground with a loud splash, and Kane pulled his free arm back.

And slogged him across the face.

Jiraiya growled in anger as he placed both feet on the boy's stomach and kicked out, sending the boy flying off him as he jumped up onto his feet.

He gasped as the water beneath his feet attempted to cause him to slip again, and the Sannin jumped into the air to land upside down on the top of the sewer.

Kane caught himself as two more splashes were heard behind him, and Karin and Hidan quickly caught up to stand slightly behind the boy.

Jiraiya smirked at the three as he formed a Rasengan in his hand and slammed it into the top of the sewer, creating an opening and jumping through it.

Jiraiya landed with a huff as he began running again, the rain pelting his face as he took off.

Then, the man gasped as he suddenly found his entire body being hit with _burning water._

Jiraiya fell to the ground with a cry as the rain above turned into boiling water, falling down from the sky.

Kane jumped through the hole Jiraiya made, and began sprinting towards the man.

The Sannin grimaced as his head of hair turned spiky and began covering him, giving him slight cover from the rain as he turned to face the sprinting Jinchuriki.

He threw up his arms in a block just as Kane's fist came flying at him, and before the man could counterattack Kane attempted to stab him with a kunai.

Again.

Jiraiya jumped back again, and surprisingly Kane didn't follow.

The Sannin landed as he took several breaths in, feeling grateful for the momentary reprieve.

Then, he was slammed into the side by a huge tendril of water.

Jiraiya rammed sideways into the wall of a large building with a gasp, and the same tendril of water jumped on him, completely submerging him in water.

The Sannin looked at Kane in shock from inside the water as the boy simply glared at him angrily.

Jiraiya tilted his head back and let out a scream that was muffled by the water as the liquid began heating up.

The water released him and he landed on the ground, sliding slightly due to the wet surface as he coughed and gagged.

 _'This kid...! I can't use any of my jutsu that draw blood, and I can't fight him inside this rain without those jutsu!'_

Jiraiya looked up as Kane stood above him, glaring down at him.

"Tell me what you know about Pain."

Jiraiya was about to make a snappy response, but thought better of it when another giant tendril of water began flowing behind Kane, as if waiting for him to say something stupid.

The man glared at the Jinchuriki as he kept silent.

Kane's eyes widened in fury.

 _"Now!"_ Kane snarled as several incoming drops of rain began boiling as they pelted the man in the face. Jiraiya hissed in pain as he quickly rubbed the hot liquid off his face.

At this point, his skin was almost as red as Kane's.

Jiraiya looked down at the wet surface he was crawling upon, and winced as that too began to heat up slightly.

 _'Everything is my enemy here. So long as it's wet, this kid can control it and heat it up. Damnit!'_

"Look, kid-"

Jiraiya tilted his head back and barely held back a cry of pain as the water coating his body quickly began heating up.

"I'm not a _kid."_ Kane snapped.

Jiraiya scowled, _'So if I'm wet, which of course I'm going to be because it's freaking raining, then he can heat up the water on my body at any point. The only way to fight this brat is to stay completely dry...'_

"You need to get out of here! We both do!" Jiraiya announced as Kane raised an eyebrow. His two companions arrived just then, landing behind the boy.

"Why?"

"Pain is the leader of the Akatsuki, and he's here in this village!" Jiraiya replied, urgency in his voice.

Kane gave him a blank look in response, "I'm fully aware."

Jiraiya scowled at that.

"Then you know we need to get out of here! It's not safe here!"

Kane raised an eyebrow again, "Maybe not for you. I quite like it here." He said as he gestured up towards the rain.

Jiraiya frowned, "So you're going to try to fight Pain?"

Kane simply nodded.

"You can't do that! Pain is a wielder of the fabled _Rinnegan_! You're no match for him! Trust me, I know, I've seen the Rinnegan in action before!"

He remembered Nagato. Yahiko. Konan.

The thought that Pain could be Nagato had crossed Jiraiya's mind more times than he could count, ever since Itachi informed him of Pain's Rinnegan.

He refused to believe it could be true.

The three that were once his students were dead. Besides, they would never do something as vile as what the Akatsuki had done!

Right?

Kane snorted, and Jiraiya looked at the boy confused.

"I've fought Mangekyou Sharingan users in worse conditions than this and held my own. I'll do just fine against this 'Rinnegan'."

Jiraiya frowned. He seemed to be doing a lot of that when it came to the boy in front of him.

 _'I'm getting real tired of hearing this kid talk.'_

Jiraiya quickly formed a Rasengan and launched himself up at Kane, the boy's eyes widening.

The Sannin ignored the instantaneous response of boiling water surrounding his body as he attempted to slam his jutsu into the Jinchuriki's stomach.

 _'I'll take him out and bring him back to Konoha with me, and then I'll tell everyone what I've learned about Pain!'_

Jiraiya watched in pure disbelief as his jutsu grew closer to Kane. The brat quickly sidestepped and knocked his arm away, redirecting the jutsu away from him, and whipped out a kunai as Jiraiya began flying passed him.

 _'He's so fast!'_

The tendril of water that was behind Kane knocked Jiraiya away as if he was a fly, and the man found himself once again slamming into the wall of the same building as earlier.

He closed his eyes in pain upon impact, and when he opened them, Kane was in front of him.

Slashing his stomach in an upwards motion.

Jiraiya held back a grunt as the kunai drew a large cut across his torso.

Then, he collapsed to the ground as he felt his own blood betray him, his body feeling as if it was on fire.

He landed face first onto the wet ground, and soon found the bloody water below him rolling him over to lay on his back.

Jiraiya glared up at Kane as the boy sneered down at him.

"Tell me everything you know about the man! I know you know more about this 'Rinnegan' than you let on. Tell me how it works!"

Jiraiya said nothing as he grit his teeth in pain.

Suddenly, Kane whirled around as he glared beyond his two teammates.

The redhead looked at Kane in concern, "What's wrong?!"

Kane scowled, "Multiple ninja are coming..."

Karin's eyes widened as she suddenly felt it, too. She nodded, "Five of them!"

Jiraiya took advantage of their distraction as he felt Kane slip on heating up his blood. He took off running as fast as he could.

He didn't get far.

Jiraiya cried out as his blood began heating up again, and he collapsed as he fell off a roof and slammed onto the ground below. Kane was on him faster than he could believe, slamming a foot into his chest.

"Where are you going?! Tell me about Pain now! He's-"

Kane whirled around, once again forgetting about Jiraiya, as Karin's scream came from behind the building where they previously were.

"Those idiots just stood there?!" Kane said in disbelief, and his eyes widened as he felt Hidan being slammed into the ground by one of the five ninja.

"Shit! Hidan got taken out instantly?!" Kane couldn't believe what he was feeling.

How strong was this guy?

"You can't beat him." Jiraiya grit out as he stared up at Kane, and the boy glared back at him.

He was about to speak, but Jiraiya cut him off, "Not alone."

Kane looked confused as the two stared into each others eyes.

"Let me help you, kid! We can fight him together!"

Kane scowled as he looked almost offended by the insinuation, but he turned as suddenly five ninja appeared atop the building nearest to them.

Five sets of Rinnegan eyes stared down at them.

Jiraiya grimaced as he set his eyes on the one that looked just like Yahiko.

"Kid! We're going to have to work together, here! Let me help you!"

Kane ignored the man as he glared up at Pain.

"Kane Sanguis, Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails... We meet at last." Pain drawled out slowly.

Kane glanced down at Jiraiya.

"You want to help me?"

Jiraiya said nothing as he looked into Kane's eyes.

They were _not_ friendly.

"Fine. I'll let you help me, _Blood Bag!"_

Jiraiya let out a silent scream as he felt his blood _ripped_ from his body.

And his world went dark.

* * *

End of Chapter 69

A/N:

Next Chapter will not be released until early Wednesday morning, due to it being the Arc Finale. See you then!


	72. Chapter 70

_'Where... Where am I?'_

He could see nothing. Only darkness. A strange, foreign sensation was consuming him, leaving him cold and wet.

Was he shaking?

He wasn't sure.

 _'Rain...?'_

Jiraiya slowly opened his eyes to the sight of dark skies and a torrent of rain downpouring rapidly, causing the man to blink suddenly as a drop landed in his eye.

 _'What's... Going on?'_

The Sannin struggled to force his arms to move. Slowly, but surely, he found his arms pushing his body up as he sat down on his backside, staring at nothing and noone.

 _'What-'_

The Sannin soon found himself having a coughing fit, and as it died down his senses began to return to him.

 _'What the hell happened?'_

He placed a hand on his forehead as he groaned. He was in so much pain... He couldn't remember the last time his body hurt this badly.

Actually, he could. It was when that brat, Kane, burned his blood several years ago.

Jiraiya's eyes snapped open as he gasped.

 _'Shit! The kid! Pain!'_

Jiraiya glanced around only to find he was alone. He slowly stood as he groaned in pain.

 _'Where did they go?!'_

Was he too late? Had the fight already finished? Had Kane defeated Pain?

Had Pain defeated Kane?

The sound of an explosion reached his ears, and Jiraiya snapped his head in the direction it came from.

 _'No... It's not over yet! It's only just begun!'_

The man quickly clapped his hands together.

 _'I need Ma and Pa!'_

* * *

Konan nodded to herself as she finished tying up Hidan and Karin.

 _'There. Now they won't get in the way...'_

The blunette glanced glanced down the different streets of the Hidden Rain Village from her high vantage point.

This was her home.

The people, they looked frightened. Many were starting to take notice of the battle between Pain and the Nine Tails Jinchuriki. The two were making a real mess.

Konan wouldn't interfere. She would do what Nagato told her, and calm the citizens.

They were her family, after all.

* * *

"Kid, why d'ya always summon us ta annoyin' places like this? It's pouring out here! No wonder Bunta always gets so ticked off at ya!" The elderly female frog complained, and the elderly male frog chuckled in response.

"Don't be like that, Ma. Jiraiya-chan always has his reasons. Besides..."

"Fer cryin' out loud, be quiet, Pa!" Ma snapped.

Jiraiya took this moment to intrude, "I know it's been awhile, and I truly am sorry for summoning you into such terrible weather, Boss, Ma'am..."

Pa nodded, "But, kid, weren't ya complainin' that tha way this form affects yer face will chase away them dames?"

Jiraiya nodded, "Like it or not, it's something I have to deal with right now. My opponents harness the Rinnegan and the Nine Tailed Fox, respectively."

 _"The Rikudou's eyes?!"_

 _"The Kyuubi no Kitsune?!"_ Pa replied at the same time as Ma.

Jiraiya nodded, "Yeah."

Pa sighed loudly, "Well then, I guess it can't be helped."

Jiraiya nodded again as he sensed the ongoing battle some ways away.

"Let's go!"

* * *

The sight the Sannin came upon was not what he expected to see.

Kane Sanguis, the brat that he was, held one of the five Rinnegan wielding ninja by the throat, and had him pinned to the ground.

Pain, the Deva path, turned to look up towards Jiraiya.

"So you've decided to rejoin us, Jiraiya-sensei..."

The two toads on his shoulders looked shocked, as Jiraiya whispered out, "Yahiko..."

"Yahiko? That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. I'm afraid you're mistaken, Jiraiya-sensei... Yahiko is long since dead."

"Jiraiya-chan, ya know this man?" Pa asked.

Jiraiya nodded, "That's Yahiko. Or at least, it's Yahiko's body... I don't know what's going on here. The information I received led me to believe that the user of the Rinnegan was someone I'd never met, and yet, that's Yahiko down there... But Yahiko never had the Rinnegan, Nagato did." Jiraiya shook his head, "It's all one big mess."

Pain turned to face Kane once more, "It doesn't matter now, does it, Jiraiya-sensei? All that matters is the Jinchuriki in front of us."

Kane glowered up at Pain, but the man seemed unaffected.

"I wonder, sensei, which one of us will capture him?"

Kane looked down, startled, as the Asura path beneath him opened his mouth and fired off a rocket.

Kane willed a tendril of water between the two of them right before the rocket launched, and jumped away as the water encompassed the ensuing explosion.

Jiraiya took this opportunity to jump towards Kane, landing near him as he called out.

"Kid! We need to work together here, the Rinne-"

He was cut off as Ma and Pa suddenly screamed in pain as they gripped their heads, the rain above them transitioning to boiling water, and Jiraiya cursed as he jumped away as a tendril of water flew towards him.

As he landed, he glared down at his feet. The watery surface beneath him was trying to trip him up, but he was able to sense it due to his enhanced senses in Sage Mode.

Jiraiya manged to balance precariously on the wet ground as he enlarged his hair and covered Ma and Pa, leaving only small openings around his shoulders to allow them vision of the battle.

"Jiraiya, what tha hell was that?!" Ma asked as she continued rubbing her head in pain.

"The kid can control water, and he can boil it at a moments notice."

"Boil it?!" Pa asked in surprise.

Jiraiya nodded, "That's not all. He can do the same thing to blood, too. If any of us allow even a single scratch to be made on our bodies, he can kill us from the inside out."

Ma cried out, "Ya brought us out here ta fight an opponent like that?!"

Jiraiya shook his head, "I'm less so concerned with him than I am with this 'Pain'. He holds the Rinnegan, and I know less about him than I originally thought... How can there be _six_ ninja with the Rinnegan?!"

Pa looked confused, "Six? Jiraiya-chan, there were only five out there."

Jiraiya shook his head and pointed to a direction, wincing and pulling his hand back as the boiling ran burned his skin.

"There's another that way. I don't know why that one is hanging back, but it's there."

The threesome returned their attention to the battle as the Asura path fired off numerous rockets towards Kane.

Kane scowled as three tendrils of water raised from the ground and caught each rocket before throwing them off into different directions.

The rockets slammed into different buildings, huge explosions shaking the area as Ma cried out in dismay.

"Are they tryin' ta destroy the village?! The damage they'll do will be incredibly bad!"

Jiraiya shook his head, "I guess we'd better do our best to end this fight quickly then."

He launched them towards the Deva path, only to watch in surprise as the Animal path jumped in front of him.

 _"Summoning Jutsu!"_ She yelled as a giant, brown, two-headed dog with tiny, useless wings appeared.

"How?!" Jiraiya gasped in surprise.

"How what?!" Ma yelled out, scared at the Sannin's reaction.

"She just used a summoning jutsu without drawing any blood!"

The beast roared as it charged at Jiraiya, but the man smirked in response.

"We can't draw blood so long as the kid's around. Good thing I thought of that beforehand!"

The brown dog yelped as the giant toad Gamaken appeared, slamming his weapon down around the dogs two necks and trapping it.

"Sorry, I can be quite clumsy." The toad announced as it sat on the dogs back.

"Good work, Gamaken!" Jiraiya called out as he sprinted around the two summons and towards the Animal path.

Jiraiya gasped and jumped away as a huge torrent of water flew passed him as Kane attempted to slam both him and the other Pain, the Animal path jumping in the air to avoid it.

 _"Summoning Jutsu!"_ She yelled out as a giant bird appeared.

Jiraiya glared over at Kane as the boy was locked in a Taijutsu battle with the Asura path.

The Yahiko look-alike continued watching all of the battles stoically, considering his options.

Jiraiya whirled around as Gamaken gasped in surprise, and Jiraiya looked on as the giant brown dog summon split into two different animals. Gamaken quickly slammed his weapon into one of them, and Jiraiya stared in disbelief as the dog split _again._

 _'Now there's three of them! What kind of summon is that?!'_

Jiraiya whipped around as a loud squawking came from behind, and he smirked as the giant bird flew towards him.

He brought his fist back...

And slammed it into the bird, instantly causing it to disappear in a puff of smoke as the Pain's eyes widened.

Jiraiya glanced to his left as another torrent of water was flying towards him.

 _'This brat's trying to take me down at the same time as Pain! Well, if he won't work together intentionally, then I'll just have to make use of his abilities myself!'_

Jiraiya grabbed the woman by the throat as she fell towards him, and _launched_ her towards the tendril of water.

The tendril grabbed the girl and slammed her onto the ground before heating up to a boil. The girl seemed to not care about the heat, but then gasped when the water began forcing itself down her throat the second she opened her mouth, drowning her.

Pain stared stoically, the sight neither surprising nor bothering him.

The Human path of pain attempted to grab Kane, but the boy slammed a tendril of water into him as well, never taking his eyes off the Asura path.

The Asura path fired off numerous giant windmill shurikens, and Kane quickly and fluidly dodged them as he continued pummeling the Asura path into the ground.

Jiraiya fired off towards the Preta path, "Ma! Pa!"

The two frogs nodded, "Right!"

 _"Sage Art: Boiling Oil Bath!"_

The Preta path stuck his hands out as the boiling, muddy water flew at him and he began absorbing the ninjutsu. Jiraiya and the elder toads looked on in shock.

"The oil! He's absorbing it!" Ma announced in dismay.

Jiraiya's eyes went wide as he made eye contact with Kane, the boy glaring hatefully.

"Shit! We need to move!" Jiraiya yelled as he jumped away.

Immediately, the boiling water that the Preta path had yet to absorb ceased its momentum and began flying towards Jiraiya instead.

Jiraiya began dodging and weaving as he made his way closer to the Deva path.

 _'I'll draw it closer to that one instead!'_

Pain watched blankly as Jiraiya jumped towards him from off the side of a building, the boiling water right behind him.

 _'Let's see what this one can do!'_ Jiraiya thought as he prepared to punch the man.

Pain waited until Jiraiya got close before sticking his hand out.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

Jiraiya gasped in shock as he was flung backwards.

Right towards the boiling water.

Jiraiya quickly performed several hand signs, a giant ball of blue appearing in his hands.

 _"Oodama Rasengan!"_ Jiraiya yelled as he slammed the jutsu into the boiling water, carving out a path as he flew straight through it.

As he broke through it, Jiraiya canceled the jutsu and turned to watch the oil fly straight towards the Deva path.

Only to grimace as the Preta path jumped in the way, absorbing the rest of the jutsu.

"Behind you!" Pa yelled and Jiraiya turned just in time to see the Human path appear beside him.

Pa quickly dropped a smoke bomb, and Jiraiya launched a punch at the man when he wasn't looking.

The Human path casually threw up an arm and caught his fist, causing Jiraiya's eyes to widen.

 _'How did he know?!'_

The Sannin glanced down to see the other two Pain's glaring up at him.

 _'Their eyes! They're connected somehow!'_

The Human path jumped away as another tendril of water slammed into the building where he was previously standing, and Jiraiya grunted as he followed suit, another tendril slamming into his own previous spot.

 _"Ahhh!"_ Ma yelled in pain as she gripped her face.

"Ma! What's tha matter?!" Pa yelled out as Jiraiya looked at her in concern.

"I cant keep puttin' up with this pain, Pa! The rain is burnin' my skin over and over again!"

Jiraiya flinched at the female toads cries as he resolved to do a better job of protecting her.

"Jiraiya-chan, why don't these Rinnegan ninja seem to be effected by the boiling rain?" Pa asked curiously, and Jiraiya for the first time noticed that the Pain's didn't seem to care one bit about the rain.

He shook his head, "I don't know. Maybe they're immune to it somehow. It doesn't matter!"

Jiraiya jumped away as he landed on all fours, aiming his hair at the Human path as he tried to shield Ma and Pa a bit better from the rain.

 _"Sage Art: Hair Needle Barrage!"_ He yelled out as his hair fired off hundreds of small senbon-like needles at the back of the Human path.

Without ever turning around, the Human path summoned a giant panda-esque shield, blocking the needles.

Pa glanced at Jiraiya, "Jiraiya-chan, you've figured it out I take it?"

The Sannin nodded, "Yeah. Those ninja, they share eyes! Whatever one of them sees, they all see!"

"Watch out!" Ma yelled out, and Jiraiya hopped away like a frog as a huge wave of water slammed into the ground.

Jiraiya glanced over at Kane, only to see the boy holding the Asura path in the air with a small thin tendril of water. Jiraiya landed on the top of a building as he watched curiously.

Four tendrils of water from different directions slammed into the Asura path, and the Pain collapsed onto the ground with a loud, wet _**'thunk!'**_.

Kane glowered at the Deva path, "Is this really all that the Rinnegan can do?"

Pain said nothing as he threw up his hand, blocking a punch from Kane easily as the boy appeared in front of him.

Jiraiya watched on as Kane's eyes went wide with shock, and Pain grabbed the boys shirt with his other hand and threw him away.

 _'That one... He's different from the others!'_ Jiraiya realized.

"Jiraiya-chan, this isn't looking good for us! Both of these guys are too strong!" Pa said with a grimace as he rubbed some burning rain water that managed to sneak through Jiraiya's hair off his face.

Jiraiya was about to comment, but quickly jumped away instead as huge tongue flew passed him, grabbing onto the unconscious Pain paths and sucking them into a large mouth of a giant head surrounded by purple flames.

 _'The final user of the Rinnegan has arrived! What the hell is that thing?!'_

Jiraiya grimaced as he ducked, debris falling on his head as Ma and Pa cried out. Jiraiya glanced up to see Gamaken holding back the three giant dogs above them, the toad bleeding profusely from multiple bite marks on his body.

Kane glanced up at the ruckus, and he scowled as he eyed the bloody toad.

Then, Gamaken cried out in pain as he fell off the building, his blood burning.

"Gamaken!" The trio cried out as the toad poofed away before landing on top of them.

They stared up as through the white smoke, the three dogs came flying towards them whilst snarling and biting at the air.

Jiraiya slammed his fist into the first one, sending it flying with an enraged battle cry. The Sannin jumped away as the other two landed, giving chase.

 _"Jiraiya!"_ The two toads screamed, and Jiraiya glanced up to see Kane in the air above both him and the Deva path. He watched as the Jinchuriki launched a giant fireball down towards both him and Pain.

The Sannin let out a relieved sigh as the Preta path of pain jumped inbetween them, absorbing the technique, and he spat his very own fireball out at the two dogs, forcing them to jump away.

Jiraiya turned towards the Deva path.

 _'Now's my chance!'_

He sprinted at Pain and threw a punch, but Pain caught it calmly as Jiraiya glared up into purple eyes.

"Yahiko! Why is it that you have Nagato's eyes?!" Jiraiya asked.

"Even if you were to understand why, you'd still be incapable of victory." Pain responded calmly.

Pain twirled Jiraiya's arm as he gripped his wrist and threw the man away.

Jiraiya gasped in shock as suddenly several rockets slammed into the building around him. He jumped away, barely avoiding each one as explosions shook the building.

 _"Kiddo!_ Give up already! These guys are out of our league!" Ma screamed.

"Even if it means death, I need to find an opening to defeat Pain!" Jiraiya responded.

Pain threw his arm up, and the building behind Jiraiya collapsed into pieces as it began flying towards him.

 _"Bansho Tenin!"_

Pain turned as the debris began falling to the earth, watching as the Asura path blocked a punch from Kane.

Kane stared at the path in complete disbelief, knowing he'd already defeated it earlier.

Jiraiya burst through the debris, coughing and gasping for breath.

"Jiraiya-chan! Look!" Pa spoke, and he looked up and dropped his mouth open in shock.

"How?" Jiraiya whispered.

Ma shook her head in disbelief, "All of tha guys we defeated! They're back up and standing!"

All six paths of pain stood there, surrounding Kane.

"It's that new one! It has some sort of healing technique! We have to get rid of it first!" Pa spoke, and both Kane and Pain glanced back at the trio, clearly having overheard them.

"Why do you continue to fight, Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails? Don't you see? I have ascended beyond man. The name, 'Pain', it is the moniker _we_ wear!" Pain announced as Kane snarled.

Kane flipped above the Asura path as a torrent of water slammed into him, and sprinted towards Pain.

Pain caught Kane's punch easily as he stared down at him.

"I won't kill you, but this will hurt."

The Human path appeared beside Kane and attempted to slam a fist into his face, only for a torrent of water to appear between them, blocking the punch. The Deva path twisted Kane's wrist, the boy crying out as Pain pulled out a long, rod-like weapon and pierced it through Kane's stomach.

Jiraiya's eyes widened as Kane seemed to almost _melt_ into water, and Pain stared in shock as Kane seemed to practically grow from the earth behind the Naraka path, slicing the man with a kunai as he did so.

"That technique! That's Orochimaru's move!" Jiraiya said in shock as he jumped closer to the seven ninja.

The Naraka path fell to the ground as Kane began boiling his blood, and immediately after was grabbed by a tendril of water, flung into the air, and then dragged backwards into the great lake.

Pain narrowed his eyes as he felt his only path capable of restoration get taken down.

Kane never even moved as another tendril of water flew from the great lake behind him. The three brown dog summons jumped in the air as they attempted to grab onto Kane, only to each whine and mewl in pain as the tendril sliced them, causing each to bleed and their blood instantly being boiled.

Jiraiya landed and shook his head at the display of prowess as the summon disappeared in three poofs of smoke.

"Jiraiya boy, what's that?" Ma asked in confusion and concern as she pointed up into the sky.

Jiraiya looked up, wincing as the boiling rain burned his skin as he did so, and his eyes narrowed at the sight.

"Jiraiya-chan... Is that, blood?" Pa asked.

The Sannin nodded in response. A small ball of blood was floating in the sky, the rain seeming to intentionally avoid ever hitting the blob as it flowed in the air.

He remembered then, how the kid knocked him unconscious by ripping his own blood from his body.

"That's my blood." Jiraiya said simply, and the two elder toads stared at him in confusion.

"Ya said tha' kid could manipulate blood too... So what's he doin' with your blood up there?" Ma asked in confusion, and Jiraiya shook his head.

"I don't know."

"It doesn't matter! We need ta focus!" Pa announced and the three turned back towards the fight, ready for round two.

"Ma, can you still use that old healing technique you used to be so good at?" Jiraiya asked quietly, and the toad looked annoyed at him.

"Of course I can! What do ya take me for?!"

"Ahh! Ma! I'm sure Jiraiya-chan didn't mean anythin' by it!"

Jiraiya nodded, "Ma, I need you to get ready to heal my wound. Heal me as soon as I finish drawing blood."

Ma simply huffed as she nodded.

Jiraiya bit his thumb, drawing blood.

 _"Summoning Jutsu!"_

Gamabunta appeared, dwarfing everyone else in the area, as the toad glared hatefully down at them.

"This rain, it's _hot!"_ The giant toad roared as his body attempted to shake the boiling water off.

Kane snarled up at the toad as he immediately began heating up Jiraiya's blood.

Jiraiya gasped as he collapsed, and Ma immediately began healing the cut on his thumb.

Pain turned to face Kane before sticking his hand out.

 _"Bansho Tenin!"_

Kane gasped as he found his body flying towards Pain against his will, several tendrils of water gripping his body and attempting to hold him back with no effect.

Pain pulled out another rod.

And pierced it through Kane's back and out his stomach, sticking the boy into the ground.

Kane cried out in pain as he felt unable to move any longer, and the water tendrils flying towards him seemed to still. They continued to hover in the air, shaking slightly, as if Kane was struggling to command them and they would not obey.

"You won't be able to use Chakra any longer, Jinchuriki. Stay here while I deal with Jiraiya-sensei." Pain said calmly as he turned to face the giant toad.

Gamabunta sighed with relief as the pain disappeared.

"Well then, Jiraiya, I see I need to- hey where did you go?" Gamabunta asked in annoyance as he glared at the top of his head.

Pain's eyes widened in shock.

Jiraiya was gone.

 _"Rasengan!"_ Jiraiya screamed as he shoved two Rasengan's into two Pains. The Animal and Asura paths both collapsed from the force of the jutsus.

Jiraiya smirked at Pain as the three remaining paths turned to face him.

"If the kid can't use Chakra anymore... Then I'm free to fight to my fullest!" Jiraiya announced.

Gamabunta slammed his giant sword into the ground, the three Pain's jumping away as the force of the collision sent debris flying everywhere.

Jiraiya's eyes widened.

 _'Damnit, Bunta! That's not what I wanted!'_

The debris flying everywhere sent Kane flying as well, the boy landing near the great lake and shakily standing to his feet as he panted, blood dropping everywhere from his open stomach wound.

Jiraiya launched a punch at the Preta path, and smirked when the Pain dodged but was still sent flying.

 _'The perks of Sage Mode!'_

Pain narrowed his eyes at this new development, and Jiraiya charged the man with another Rasengan.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

Jiraiya gasped as he was sent flying, Ma and Pa screaming as they were thrown off his shoulders and sent into different directions as well.

Kane forcefully pulled the rod from his body with a cry of pain, throwing the weapon away as he panted.

Ma landed beside Kane, and the boy snarled as he glared down at the elder toad.

 _"Ma!"_ Fukasaku screamed as he hopped towards his fallen wife.

The elderly toad woman groaned as she slowly sat up and rubbed her head. She opened her eyes, only to find Kane glaring down at her.

The toad gasped as she began shaking in fear at the look in his eyes.

 _'This boy! He's... He's snapped!'_

Kane continued to glare at her, but it was as if he wasn't really seeing her at all.

 _"I won't lose... I will survive!"_ Kane whispered, and Ma continued to sit frozen in fear as Kane's eyes turned away from her.

Then, he jumped away, towards the great lake behind him.

Shima sighed in relief as Fukasaku landed beside her.

"Are ya alright, Ma?"

"I'm alright, Pa."

The two glanced over at Jiraiya, only to see him thrown away by the Deva path. Gamabunta himself seemed to have taken a beating in that short time frame, as his body was riddled with the very same rods that were previously in Kane. The toad groaned before letting out a small apology to Jiraiya and disappearing in a huge puff of smoke.

"You are weak, Jiraiya-sensei." Pain stated simply, and the Sannin glared up at him in anger.

"Why are you doing this, Nagato?"

Pain nodded his head in semi-approval, "So you've figured it out. As expected, sensei."

 _"Why are you doing this?"_ Jiraiya repeated with force.

Pain stared at him for several moments before answering, "I am a God... I have ascended to the same rank as Kami himself, and I will bring everlasting peace to this world."

Jiraiya sneered as Ma and Pa landed beside him, both glaring up at Pain as they hopped back onto his shoulders.

"And how will collecting the biju accomplish that? You've formed a terrorist group, Nagato!"

"I will reform the Ten Tails, using the combined nine biju, and with the ten tails I will create the ultimate weapon... I will use this weapon upon the world, bringing great pain, and in doing so will bring everlasting peace."

"What? That makes no sense, Nagato! You would see the world destroy itself!" Jiraiya screamed.

"Only through _pain,_ can the world grow up, leading towards true peace."

"This is madness! Stop this, Nagato! It's not too late!"

Pain shook his head, "I don't expect you to understand. I will collect the Nine Tails here today, and-"

Pain froze, his eyes wide in shock as he turned around.

Jiraiya took this chance to lunge at the man, but Pain stuck one hand out, halting him in mid air before throwing him away and towards the great lake.

Jiraiya expected to land in the water, but instead found himself _falling._

Fukasaku and Gima quickly spat out their tongues and grabbed ahold of a building and dragged him back up.

Jiraiya turned around, confused as to what exactly happened.

Then froze.

Ma and Pa looked afraid.

"Jiraiya... Where's the lake?" Ma asked fearfully.

The water was _gone_.

Jiraiya slowly brought his hand up and pointed into the distance, letting out a shaky breath as his arm trembled.

 _"There."_

The trio stared into the distance, along with the three remaining paths of Pain, as they watched the waters of the lake collecting into a huge wall, twice the size of even the largest of buildings within the Village Hidden in the Rain.

Kane stood atop the huge wall of water, his arms thrown back behind him as he seemed to be trembling, all his focus on the water below.

Jiraiya understood then, what exactly Kane was creating.

 _"A Tsunami..."_ he whispered.

* * *

Konan stared in horror at the giant wall of water in the distance.

The giant _wave_.

The entire village had taken notice of the battle ongoing some ways away, the huge explosions leading to a lot of people becoming afraid.

Konan had settled them, mostly, but now the entire village was in full blown _panic._

She didn't try to settle them any longer.

She just flew in the air, staying completely still as she dared out towards the giant forming wave.

"Angel-sama!" One of the civilians screamed, and dozens of civilians stared up at the blunette as she glanced back down at the one that screamed.

"Is this Pain-sama's judgement?! Are we all doomed to die?! Will he protect us?!"

Konan said nothing as she turned her attention back to the wave.

The civilians all began panicking even more as they all watched, waiting with baited breath.

Some ran, some cried.

Most simply stared in silence, awaiting their fate.

 _'Nagato... Don't let that bastard do it... Don't let him destroy our home!'_

* * *

The skies seemed to darken, as if a thunderstorm had suddenly appeared. There was no thunder, no lightning, and yet the storm raged on as if a hurricane had begun.

The rain seemed to fall in the direction of the lake, as if drawn in by the Tsunami being created, and Jiraiya said nothing as he stared out at the giant wave of certain death.

"The kid's goin' ta destroy tha entire village..." Pa spoke in horrified disbelief, his voice barely heard over the sound of the storm.

Ma shook her head, "We won't survive that, kiddo! Nobody will! He's gonna kill everybody in tha entire village just to defeat Pain!"

Jiraiya kept silent, knowing there was nothing he could do.

 _'Kane Sanguis... Are you truly willing to go so far?'_

Maybe they could perform a reverse summon, if they hurried, but Jiraiya wasn't even thinking of that at the moment. He continued to stare out at the Tsunami. There was no point trying to run; it was too large, and it would be too fast. It was, without a doubt, the largest Tsunami the world had ever seen.

Nobody would escape that.

 _Nobody._

Pain took several steps forward, his two remaining paths staying several feet behind him as he stared out into the Tsunami.

Kane threw his arms forward, and the Tsunami approached.

Jiraiya stared out with lifeless eyes at the wave of death.

 _"Jiraiya! What do we do?!"_ Ma screamed, and Pa looked at the Sannin with terror.

The man slowly shook his head, his eyes never leaving the Tsunami.

Ma closed her eyes and covered them as Pa hopped around Jiraiya's head and took the elderly toad into his arms.

The Tsunami seemed to _roar_ as it approached.

"To think you'd resort to this, Nine Tails..." Pain whispered.

Then, he calmly placed his hands together, and brought them up in front of his face as if in prayer. He closed his eyes, and focused.

 _"Chibaku Tensei!"_

A small black sphere formed in Pain's hands, and the man released it into the air. It began flying up into the sky, higher and higher and higher, until it was nearly invisible to the naked eye.

Pain threw his arms up as if he were holding something up in the air, and watched.

Slowly, the water from the encroaching Tsunami began _rising,_ being drawn in by the black sphere as if by gravity itself.

Jiraiya watched as, against Kane's will, the Tsunami slowed down as more and more of the liquid flew into the sky, swirling around the black sphere in a beautiful display of elegance. The wave grew smaller and smaller as it grew closer to land.

"Jiraiya-chan?" Pa whispered as he stared up at the display.

"Yeah?" The Sannin asked back, his eyes never moving.

"Don't ever summon us ta fight ninja like these again."

As the Tsunami grew smaller and the giant ball of water in the sky grew larger, the wave finally grew closer to the ninja on land. Despite being much smaller, it was still large enough to warrant fear from those that would be caught inside of it.

Jiraiya blinked, as if he were only just now returning to reality, and he quickly bit his thumb and performed several hand signs.

A giant toad appeared, and the toad quickly engulfed Jiraiya, Ma and Pa before hopping in the air, allowing itself to become engulfed by the giant Tsunami harmlessly.

Pain threw both arms out.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

And watched as the Tsunami flowed around him and his two remaining paths.

The wave collapsed onto the earth as it finally came crashing down. Dozens upon dozens of buildings collapsed underneath it as the water began steadily flowing backwards, back into the original spot for the lake.

It never touched a single building outside of the abandoned district.

* * *

Not a single sound could be heard other than the crashing of the wave and the consistent pelting of the rain.

Everyone watched on in complete silence as the Tsunami crashed into the village, and yet did no damage beyond completely removing a section of the village which had long since been abandoned.

Nobody spoke a word as they waited, watching as most of the water from the lake continued to flow throughout the sky, surrounding the - no longer visible - black sphere.

The skies seemed to part, the clouds dispersing as they began to finally run out of Chakra. Sunlight began to shine through, illuminating the land in a coruscating glow.

The rain began to slow before stopping altogether, civilians glancing up into the sky as it seemed as if Kami himself had blessed them with a brand new, beautiful day.

The entire village began cheering, cries of relief and shouts of joy flowing around as they avoided a major catastrophe. Chants and blessings of the great 'Pain-sama' were soon to follow, and Konan let a small smile overtake her features.

 _'Thank you, Nagato...'_

* * *

Kane gasped as a tendril of water gently placed him onto the ground. He continued to cough and gasp for breath as he attempted to get ahold of himself, consistently spitting water out from his lungs as his arms shook.

He'd never controlled so much water at a single time without first spending a large amount of time meditating.

He was completely spent, his Chakra reserves nearly completely depleted.

He glanced up, and found the three Pains staring down at him, never having moved from their spots.

The boy trembled as he collapsed onto his stomach.

A large toad jumped out from the lake behind the boy before spitting out Jiraiya, Ma and Pa. The toad dispersed itself as the six stared down at the collapsed Jinchuriki.

"It's over, Kane Sanguis. You're coming with me, now." Pain spoke calmly as he took several steps forward, and Jiraiya growled lowly as he jumped forward, the three forming a large triangle.

"No, Nagato! I'm taking him back to Konoha, where he'll face the consequences of everything he's done! I won't let Akatsuki have him!" The white haired man snapped, and Pain shook his head.

"So naive, sensei. Don't you get it? He's property of the Akatsuki at this point. You, on the other hand... Are _disposable._ "

Jiraiya, Ma and Pa tensed as the Preta and Human paths jumped out in front of them, and Pain slowly began walking towards Kane again.

Then, the man froze, his eyes widening slightly as a small tendril of blood flew down from the sky, flowing around Kane's body protectively.

 _Jiraya's blood._

Jiraiya froze as well, staring as the boy manipulated his blood.

 _'What's he doing?'_

Kane stood up, his body shaking through the effort, and he glared up at Pain as the man frowned.

The blood flowed closer to Kane's face, and the boy opened his mouth.

Jiraiya and the two toads stared in complete horror as Pain looked on in awe.

 _Kane had begun drinking Jiraiya's blood._

* * *

Konan shivered, her smile wiping off her face as she glanced back out towards where the knew Pain to be located. Where she knew the Nine Tails to be located.

An awful feeling struck her like lightning, and the girl had no idea why, but she had a terrible feeling about things to come.

The fight wasn't finished just yet.

* * *

Pain narrowed his eyes as several tendrils of water began flowing out from the lake behind Kane and into the air.

 _'He was out of Chakra before, I'm sure of it! So how is he able to do this, now?'_

Kane got down onto all fours, and Pain raised an eyebrow.

That was new. He hadn't seen the boy fight like-

Pain found himself flying backwards and into the debris behind him from the force of a punch to his stomach.

The two pain's facing Jiraiya both froze, eyes wide, as the Deva path was launched away. Both turned to face Kane, and the boy was flexing his right hand, as if he was getting a feel for his new-found strength.

Then, the Preta path jumped away as the Human path was summarily slammed into the ground by Kane. Kane held the path's throat before releasing him, leaning back, and slogging him across the face.

Then he did it again.

And again.

And again.

Jiraiya and the elder toads stared, completely horrified, as Kane continued to mercilessly beat the Human path into the ground, dust flying into the air with every punch as the man was forming his own human-shaped crater.

Kane began smiling a vicious smile as the Pain stilled completely, blood coating Kane's hands as the boy continued to pound the Human path.

The Preta path stared, fascinated, as the Deva path walked out from the debris, dusting his cloak off casually.

Kane stood up off the Human path and continued to smile down at him, licking the blood off his knuckles as he stepped back.

Then, his eyes went wide as he took several startled steps back.

He fell backwards onto his ass, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as he tilted back and stared up as if looking towards the sky.

Pain frowned, wondering what the Jinchuriki was doing.

Suddenly, the hole in Kane's chest from when Pain stabbed him began to mend itself back together, Kane's entire body shaking as cracking could be heard. It sounded as if Kane was cracking his knuckles, only it was coming from his entire body.

Pain's frown deepened.

 _'His eyes... Did they just flash purple?'_

The boy began mumbling to himself, his entire body trembling as Pain shook his head in confusion.

"The boy's snapped." Pa stated simply, the three staring down at the trembling Kane.

Ma shook her head, and the two looked at the matriarch in confusion.

"He snapped before he even summoned the Tsunami." Ma stated, an etch of fear lacing her voice.

Kane stood up suddenly, whirling around to face Pain.

He charged Pain, but the man was ready for him this time.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_ Pain screamed, and Kane was launched away, sliding across the ground and sliding right passed Jiraiya.

Jiraiya stared in horror, his Sage Mode slowly deactivating as he realized the futility of it all. There was no point keeping it up any longer. Even in Sage Mode...

 _He'd never even seen the boy move._

Kane appeared in front of the Preta path, and although Pain was able to track the boy, his other paths were nowhere near the level of his Deva.

Kane slashed a kunai across the Preta paths stomach, and _ripped_ the blood from his body.

He grinned a toothy grin at the Deva path as the Preta paths blood began flowing between his teeth.

Pain narrowed his eyes.

He should've taken the boy out when he had the chance.

 _'Here he comes!'_

Kane charged, and Pain threw up his palm as he blocked a strike from Kane. Pain jumped away, launching himself out above the waters of the lake, and the Akatsuki leader glanced down as he found himself side-stepping away. The water had reached up, attempting to grab the man, and soon he found himself dodging and weaving as the waters beneath him attempted to grab ahold of him.

Pain turned, throwing his arm out, as he found Kane nearly on top of him.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

Kane was flung backwards, and Pain's eyes narrowed as a wall of water appeared. Kane flew through the wall, but it slowed his momentum down, and soon Kane was propelling himself back towards him.

 _'Shit! It hasn't been five seconds yet!'_

Kane threw an arm at Pain, as if his hands were claws, and attempted to scratch the man.

Pain dodged it and slammed his fist into Kane's face, the boy staggering back only a single step before glaring and slamming his own fist into Pain's stomach.

Pain gasped as he kicked Kane away, and then found the water beneath him to have engulfed his feet.

He held his breath as he was dragged under the water, completely ignoring the boiling of the water.

 _'It's a good thing he can't boil my paths!'_ Pain thought to himself.

He glared up as a figure came flying through the water towards him at an angle. Kane was practically sliding as he flew down towards him on his stomach, face first, as the water moved out of his way while giving him a surface to glide upon.

Pain threw both his hands out just as Kane reached him.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

The water surrounding him was flung away, Kane being dragged along with it, and Pain launched himself into the air and towards the surface.

As he reached the surface and began flying towards the sky, dozens upon dozens of tendrils flew out from the lake and attempted to grab him and drag him back down, Pain dodging and weaving as he continued to fly higher and higher.

He looked down as Kane emerged as well, and the boy _jumped_ towards him.

Pain scowled as, despite being high in the sky, he found himself on the defensive as he blocked blow after blow from the Jinchuriki.

 _'This boy!'_

Kane whipped out a kunai as he attempted to cut him, but Pain kicked his hand and sent the kunai flying. He watched as Kane's momentum finally gave out and the boy began falling from the sky, scowling up at him the entire time.

Countless tendrils of water were still rising, and Pain grimaced internally as he saw them growing closer and closer.

 _'When he falls far enough, he'll reach the tendrils and launch himself right back up!'_

He could be in big trouble then.

He wouldn't let him do that.

Pain pulled out a rod and aimed it at Kane.

 _"Bansho Tenin!"_ Pain screamed as he dragged Kane towards the rod, attempting to impale him.

His eyes widened as Kane allowed himself to be dragged, not seeming to mind in the slightest.

Kane brought his arm back and knocked his weapon away as if it were nothing, the rod flying from Pain's hands.

 _'Shit! He's not only fast, he's strong!'_

Pain gasped as Kane punched him in the stomach, grabbed his head, and _threw_ him down towards the innumerable water tendrils. Pain took control of his flight as he aimed downwards as if he were going to attempt a dive.

Pain began dodging and weaving them again, but soon found himself flying closer towards the surface of the lake while still being completely surrounded, nowhere left to run.

He watched, surprise etching his features, as the water attempting to encompass him shot out several small, senbon-like water needles at him from every direction possible.

He grit his teeth as he continued counting down in his head.

 _'Two... One...!'_

When the water needles were mere _inches_ from his body, he screamed.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

Pain watched with relief as the water was shot away and he found plenty of openings.

He quickly made his way out of the water, and looked down as Kane landed on a large tendril that provided him a flat surface to land on, both still high up in the sky.

Pain glared as Kane snarled, and the boy got down onto all fours.

 _'Here we go again!'_

* * *

Jiraiya continued to stare out at the battle taking place in the skies above the lake.

There was no place for him here, now.

This battle was beyond his skill level.

"Jiraiya-chan... What do we do?" Pa whispered as Ma shook her head.

"I'm not fighting those two any longer! This isn't a battle between men, this is a battle between monsters!"

"No... It's a battle between a monster, and a God." Jiraiya whispered, remembering Pain proclaiming himself as such.

"He ain't no God, Jiraiya-chan... Ya know that." Pa stared seriously, attempting to read Jiraiya's mind.

The Sannin nodded with a sigh, his eyes never leaving the battle, "I know. He was my student, once."

The three said nothing for several moments as they watched the fight.

"Still," Jiraiya continued, "there's no denying... We're out of our league."

* * *

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

Pain glared hatefully as the boy was launched away from him yet again.

How long had they been fighting?

Two minutes? Three?

It hadn't been very long at all, and yet Pain felt drained. Chibaku Tensei took a lot out of him, and this boy was ridiculously strong.

 _'Certainly, he is the strongest opponent I have ever faced...'_

Pain couldn't help but compare the boy's strength to that of a Jinchuriki's when they allowed their biju to take control. Only worse, as he'd never fought a Jinchuriki he couldn't defeat. Until now.

His glare deepened at that thought.

 _'He hasn't even used the Nine Tails to battle yet, and he's this strong... If he starts to draw on the power of his biju... I might really...'_

He couldn't even finish the thought.

Kane snarled as he charged him once again, and Pain tensed as he prepared for another difficult round.

Then, Kane tripped, and Pain's eyes widened in shock as the boy tumbled across the lakes surface, his body shaking as he quickly stood back up on his feet.

He looked dizzy, as if he was about to pass out.

Pain's eyes widened further.

 _'He can't keep going for much longer!'_

Kane scowled as he sprinted at him once again. Pain blocked a punch from the boy, grabbing his hand in the process, and as Kane prepared to throw his other arm, his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Then, right in front of Pain...

He passed out.

* * *

Jiraiya stared, horrified at what he'd just witnessed.

Despite everything, he'd been cheering for the stupid kid.

Cheering against Akatsuki.

"Tha boy... Passed out." Ma whispered in disbelief.

"I guess that's tha drawback of such a powerful technique." Pa whispered.

"Tha drawback is that he had to drink someone's blood!" Ma responded, aghast.

Jiraiya shook his head as he watched Pain stare down at the unconscious Kane. Then, he tensed, feeling eyes on him.

The Sannin turned, and saw in the distance a figure with white wings flying towards them, eyes locked onto him.

 _'Konan...!'_

Jiraiya shook his head.

He didn't stand a chance in another battle right now. No matter how much he desired to see the woman again...

It was time to leave.

"Ma! Pa! Reverse summon us to Mount Myouboku!"

The two nodded, having been prepared for such a command for some time.

 _'How did things go so wrong?'_

And the trio dispersed in a puff of smoke.

* * *

Pain stared down at him, his Rinnegan eyes taking in the sight of the now unconscious Jinchuriki before him. The only thing preventing Kane from sinking into the lake below was Pain's firm grasp on the boys arm.

He glanced up just in time to see Jiraiya disappear in a puff of smoke, and then turned his attention back towards Kane.

Jiraiya wasn't important.

He'd gotten what he came here for.

Konan flew over to him, and stopped as she landed on top of the lake, staring at him with her amber eyes.

Pain simply stared back at her as he lifted Kane up by the arm like a trophy.

 _"The capture of the Nine Tails... Is complete!"_

* * *

End of Chapter 70.

A/N:

Rather than do the fight normally, it has always been my plan to do this fight from Jiraiya's (With a bit of Pain's) POV to give a different outlook on Kane. It's easy for Kane to rationalize his actions (to himself), and this time we didn't have his insight as to his choices.

Next Update will be our Third Intermission. We'll catch up on some stuff, I'll throw out some shoutouts, and we'll prepare for the next Arc. I'll be releasing it on Friday.

Happy Birthday, PSplinter09!


	73. Intermission 3

The first arc of Shippuden is officially complete!

There are a lot of questions and concerns I want to address.

Let's take a moment to look back on everything we've done so far.

Wow.

Just... _Wow._

Do you guys realize, this story has not even been out for _2 months?_

Not even _2 months,_ and you guys have left _over 600 reviews._

I'm absolutely floored. You guys are incredible. Simply incredible. The feedback and support I've received has been beyond my wildest expectations. It's gotten to the point where I find myself checking at least a dozen times per day on my phone just to see if there are any new reviews, because you guys are reviewing _that_ often!

A large part of me expected the story to be a complete flop, and I was prepared to write a huge, book-length story with very few followers. It's been the complete opposite of that. I'll say one thing, I'm definitely not lacking in the motivation department, and it's all thanks to you guys! You guys don't know how much it warms my heart to read your reviews, there have even been numerous reviewers stating this might be the best story they've ever read, and it absolutely makes my day to see things like that.

less than 2 months, and we've reached over 200k words. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but how many authors can say _that,_ eh?

* * *

"How much longer will the story be?"

Honestly? I'm not sure. I've already written the first 7 chapters of the next arc, and even after those 7 chapters it's clear we have a long way to go. If i _had_ to guess...?

350k? Maybe? I truly don't know, but believe me when I say we have a long way to go, so strap yourself in!

* * *

"When will the next chapter be? Tomorrow, right?"

Unfortunately, no. We're going to take a brief intermission before beginning the next Arc. Chapter 71 will be released Monday morning. I'm going to take advantage of this intermission to get further ahead on the story before resuming the updates.

On a brighter note, starting Monday, the updates will be daily as always.

* * *

"Kane this... Kane that..."

Lots of controversy over Kane. I've had reviewers and PMers say they love Kane, they hate Kane, they hope Kane destroys Konoha, they hope he returns to Konoha, they dislike his choices, they like his choices... Some people have even stopped reading because of him! While that saddens me, there are also those who absolutely adore Kane, which I love to hear. I've definitely enjoyed reading the different impressions of him!

* * *

"Will Kane continue to develop?"

Let me ask _you_ something. Has there been an Arc thus far where Kane hasn't changed? Compare the current Kane, whom a lot of you have called Emo and ruthless, to the Kane from the first few chapters. Kane is going to continue to develop as the story progresses.

Each Arc, Kane will change. Arc 1 he was shy, timid and pathetic. Arc 2 we saw him grow more fierce and begin depending more on himself and less on others. Arc 3 we've seen him grow ruthless, selfish and a bit unhinged.

What direction he develops towards, you'll have to wait and see.

* * *

"Will Kane grow stronger?"

Yes. Don't forget how much really does happen before and during the War, which we're growing closer and closer to. It'd be impossible for Kane to not grow and develop during this time period.

* * *

"More Naruko! More Sasuke! More Kakashi! More Team 7!"

Don't worry, they'll get plenty of spotlight.

* * *

"Kane is Basically Sasuke."

I'm sorry you feel that way, but I'd have to strongly disagree. In my personal opinion, it's practically impossible to write a "Missing Ninja" fic without some readers scrutinizing every little detail and saying "That's kind of like Sasuke!"

I put a lot of time and effort into trying to make Kane seem realistic, his choices reasonable and logical, without making him a copy of Sasuke. He's made different choices, has different motives, different allegiances... Maybe I haven't done a good enough job, but I also realize that to some people everything Kane does will be compared to Sasuke and the things Sasuke did or would have done, and there's nothing I can do about that.

* * *

"Is Kane unstable?"

Yes. It's been hinted at over and over again by him suddenly making irrational decisions (which he rationalizes...) but yes. Kane has issues, which will have to be addressed. You don't infect somebodies blood just because you're upset, or try to destroy an entire village with a Tsunami, and get to call yourself stable.

* * *

"I'm concerned. I've had bad experiences in the past... You're not going to one day just up and abandon this story, are you?"

No. It's not going to happen. This story will be updated frequently until the day the epilogue is released. It's a promise.

I will say this!

In 19 days, I begin my final semester of College. My plan is over these next 3 weeks to spend as much free time writing and planning as I possibly can in the hopes that I'll be so far ahead, that as far as you guys are concerned, college never even started for me. My hope is that it will not intrude even slightly on updates.

'Got an exam tomorrow? It's cool, I'm fifteen chapters ahead as it is. I'll just upload the next chapter.'

That's the plan.

* * *

"The story has a lot of differences from Canon, and yet it seems to be following the canon storyline..."

Yes, a lot of elements have been changed, and yet the overall theme is the same. This is done intentionally. It's bad practice, in my opinion, to stray too far from Canon. A lot will change, and this will be shown in particular during the war, but a lot of events will also stay the same. It helps the story flow, it helps the readers keep up with everything, and it helps keep the timeline in order.

Examples of this: Orochimaru is still dead and the same Akatsuki members have died. Yet, at the same time, Hidan is still alive, Jiraiya survived his encounter with Pain, the Uchiha clan is alive, the Fourth Hokage is alive, etc.

* * *

Before I move on to the shoutouts, I'd like to give an anonymous shoutout. There was somebody who completely surprised me... They actually predicted, spot on, an exact event I have planned in the future. Down to the T. I won't say who, and I won't say if they were a reviewer or a PMer, but when that event comes around in the future I'll be sure to give them props!

Now, for the shoutouts. There's a _lot_ of you, so please forgive me if I miss you!

 _Jesus there's a lot of you._

 **Lelouch of Zero**

 **The Storm Master 567**

 **HayaaShigure-kun**

 **The-Only-Temporary-Name**

 **TenVipers**

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As always, I'd like to thank you all for the incredible feedback you've given to me thus far! I hope you continue to review and enjoy the story!

See you Monday!

-Traydox


	74. Chapter 71

_Arc 4: The Pure Arc, has officially begun!_

* * *

 _Danzo Shimura frowned as the Root Anbu finished whispering the report into his ear._

 _Troubling, to say the least._

 _"Is there a problem, Danzo?" The voice slithered through the night sky like a snake._

 _Danzo turned to face his companion, his eyes meeting those of the legendary snake Sannin's._

 _"It would appear there is trouble ahead, Orochimaru." Danzo replied smoothly._

 _"Oh? And what type of trouble would that be?" Danzo said nothing, and the two men began walking again, the dozen Root Anbu members quick to fall in line behind and around them._

 _The skies were dark but the stars were shining brightly, the landscape barren and burnt from being the heart of a warzone for far too long. Dead trees and large hills were the only sight visible for miles, and even the dead trees were scarce._

 _"Our squadron ahead seem to have been eradicated."_

 _Orochimaru looked intrigued, "By who? Iwa?"_

 _Danzo shook his head, "I'm not sure, but we're going to go check it out."_

 _"Of course."_

 _The two men fell into silence, the steps of the two men and their escort being perfectly silent. Were one to not visibly see them, they would have no idea of the groups presence._

 _"La la la~!"_

 _The sound of humming was heard by the group as they paused momentarily. The fourteen Shinobi kept perfectly quiet as they continued to listening._

 _Danzo strained his hears, waiting for something, anything..._

 _Then, he heard it._

 _'Is that... Giggling?'_

 _The man shared a look with Orochimaru. The Sannin had heard it too, then._

 _There was no mistaking it as soon after, the sounds of a little girls giggles filled the night sky._

 _The squadron continued to approach cautiously as they listened to the little girl as she began humming and singing._

 _"All the other clans are oh so lame~!"_

 _More giggling, and the group slowly finished climbing up a large hill. They came to a stop as they overlooked more barren wasteland, however bodies were littered across the area._

 _"'Cause they don't have our blood, running through their veins~!"_

 _Orochimaru raised an eyebrow as Danzo narrowed his eyes. The sight of a long, brown haired little girl wearing a bright, blue sundress dancing atop the corpse of a Root member was not what either expected to find. The girl couldn't have been older than six, maybe younger, and a small nine year old boy sat atop another body as he watched the girl dance with a huge grin._

 _The boy was much more eye-catching than the girl. Pure, fiery red hair and sharp green eyes, the child was clearly beautiful. Or, he would be, were it not for the blood staining his hair, face, body and clothes. The crimson contrasted sharply with the boys red head of hair, giving him an almost angelical look._

 _"And those that don't share our blood~! Yeah, they're as worthless as the mud~!"_

 _The little girl's giggles erupted once more as she turned to the boy._

 _"Big brother! Sing with me!"_

 _The little boy merely shook his head as he continued to smile a wide smile, and the girl pouted briefly before twirling in a circle atop the corpse, hopping away, and landing on another._

 _The girl giggled again, "The floor is lava!"_

 _She hummed as she began singing once more._

 _"Worthless, all the other clans~! The tree people, the white eyes, and those that don the fan~!"_

 _The little boy continued to smile as he glanced up towards Danzo's group, the numerous shinobi staring down at the two children._

 _The redheaded child didn't so much as blink. He simply turned back towards the girl, presumably his little sister, and continued smiling as he watched her._

 _The little girl slipped, falling off the corpse and landing on her hands and knees. She cried out in pain, the boy appearing by her side in an instant, checking her over._

 _"Ahhh! Big brother, I scraped my knee!" The girl wailed, and the boy shook his head as he continued to smile._

 _"So clumsy..."_

 _The girl started crying, and the boy frowned._

 _"Don't cry, Genyn!"_

 _But the little girl continued to wail._

 _Danzo made a signal with one hand, and two Root members quickly jumped down from the hill towards the two children, weapons drawn._

 _"How about another pretty show, to cheer you up?" The little boy asked, and Danzo's group watched on as the boys back cut_ _itself apart, blood flying out of his body and impaling the two root members in mid air right through the stomachs, killing them instantly._

 _The little girls sniffles died down as the boy gestured behind him, and then her eyes grew wide._

 _"Wooooah! So pretty!"_

 _The boy grinned as the girl's pain was all but forgotten. She stood up with a cry of joy as she began twirling._

 _"Do the dance, big brother!" She cried out as she kept twirling in circles._

 _The boy smiled as he coerced_ _the blood from the Root members bodies, the blood flowing around the little girl in an intricate dance._

 _Danzo and Orochimaru stared on in shock at the display._

 _The elder scowled as he made another gesture, and three more Root members jumped down from the hill and squared off against the two children._

 _The little girl paused as she took notice of them, before giggling again._

 _"Go get 'em, big brother Naibu!"_

 _The boy turned, giving a beautiful smile to the three Root members before pointing towards one of them with his index finger._

 _"You've got a little cut, there!"_

 _The three Root members kept quiet, as always, and the boy frowned._

 _"There! Right there! On your arm! Don't you see it?"_

 _Still, the three members kept silent._

 _The redhead rolled his eyes, "Here, I'll show you!"_

 _The same Root member the child was pointing towards fell to the ground with a cry of pain, and the two others jumped away in surprise._

 _Naibu gave a cold, cruel smirk._

 _The cut on the man's arm began opening itself up as he gasped in shock and pain, gripping his arm as he watched the wound grow larger and larger._

 _Then, Naibu_ _ **ripped**_ _the blood from the man's arm and willed it into the air, the Anbu drawing his final breath soon after._

 _The girl continued giggling, "Big brother Naibu! Big brother Naibu! You can't bleed around big brother Naibu!"_

 _Naibu giggled a boyish, childish giggle as he willed the blood towards him._

 _Then, he began to drink it._

 _Genyn let out a joyful laugh as she began to sing once again._

 _"When you see the Red Sea~!"_

 _Before the Anbu knew what hit them, both found Naibu in front of them, slashing both of their chests with a single swipe of a kunai._

 _"You'll understand our purity~!"_

 _They both cried out as he ripped the blood from their bodies, dead before they even hit the ground._

 _"There's no such thing as peace~!"_

 _Naibu laughed as he brought the two member's blood before him, and he began drinking their blood, too._

 _"No, not for the Sanguis~!"_

 _Orochimaru looked on in absolute delight as Danzo looked intrigued, yet horrified._

 _This boy just killed off five of his Root members as if they were nothing._

 _Danzo gave a signal, and the entire group jumped down, sans Orochimaru and Danzo himself._

 _The two watched as, one by one, each Root member fell before the nine year old child._

 _"This boy! He's so young, and so powerful! I've never seen such prowess before, save for perhaps the young Itachi Uchiha!"_

 _Orochimaru looked on at the corpses in sick pleasure._

 _Danzo narrowed his eye as he noticed the headband the boy wore._

 _"He's an official Hoshi ninja."_

 _Orochimaru nodded, "The Sanguis clan. The only clan of Hoshigakure. They're not very important. Weak, when compared to most other clans. The Chi Sosa, I think they called it. Their own Kekkei Genkai can't be used unless they use somebody else's blood. Not only that, but they can only use fresh blood. As soon as the blood grows cold, their Kekkei Genkai becomes useless. Really, they're one of the weaker clans out there, if you ask me."  
_

 _Danzo glanced at the man, surprised to hear that Orochimaru thought so lowly of this seemingly powerful bloodline._

 _The Sannin snickered to himself, "Pathetic, the lot of them, only useful on the battlefield, and even then, there are other clans that outshine them. I'm surprised they haven't died off, yet."_

 _Danzo narrowed his eyes, "This boy is anything but pathetic."_

 _Orochimaru nodded in agreement as he continued to stare down at the redheaded child, "Indeed. He seems to be an outlier, however. The Sanguis clan as a whole are pathetic. There's a reason they aren't well known, after all. Barbaric warriors, nothing more."_

 _Naibu glanced up at the two men, and opened his mouth to speak._

 _Then, to both men's surprise, his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Naibu tilted his head back towards the sky as he stood perfectly still._

 _Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, "Did the boy just pass out? And he's still standing? Strange."_

 _Danzo nodded, and the little girl began skipping across the new bodies littering the battlefield towards her brother._

 _"If you're in the Blood Well~!"_

 _She landed next to Naibu, merely three seconds after the boy passed out._

 _"You'll regret it if you dwell~!"_

 _Naibu's eyes rolled forward again and he turned to smile at his sister._

 _"Aha! Big brother, did you go to the Blood Well?"_

 _Naibu smiled fondly as he caressed the girls cheek, "Yes I did."_

 _The girl beamed at him, "You were only there for four seconds! That's two seconds faster than usual!"_

 _Naibu only laughed in response as he turned to face Danzo and Orochimaru again._

 _Then, he lifted both arms, and every corpse on the battlefield, other than the one Genyn stood on top of, began to rise into the air._

 _"Hey, mister!" Naibu called out, staring straight at Orochimaru._

 _Orochimaru raised an amused eyebrow, "Yes, child?"_

 _Naibu laughed, "You're strong! I can tell! Can you leave? I don't want to fight strong people near Genyn! She might get hurt!"_

 _Orochimaru chuckled at the nine year old as Danzo watched on, "Not to worry, child. I mean you no harm."_

 _Naibu looked at him with wide eyes before throwing a charming, dazzling smile his way, "Thanks, mister! You should come to Hoshi sometime, so that I can slaughter you like the animal you are!"_

 _Orochimaru gave a vicious smile to the boy in return._

 _He liked this child._

 _Genyn cried out in dismay, "Big brother! Are you not gonna kill them?! But they aren't Sanguis! Kill them, kill them, kill them!" She wailed._

 _Naibu walked over to Genyn as he gave her a patient smile._

 _"Princess, we need to go home now."_

 _Genyn seemed to choke on her words for several moments before glaring at him and shouting, "You're afraid I'll get hurt! You think I'm weak, big brother!"_

 _Naibu frowned at this, "No I don't."_

 _Genyn seemed to tear up, "Yes you do! I'm not as good as you!"_

 _Naibu looked horrified at his little sisters words, "Genyn! Don't say such things!"_

 _"It's true! I'm not like you, big brother Naibu! I can't rip people's bloods from their body like you! Nobody can! You're the only one, ever! I can't control people, I can't make blood come from my body or use my own blood for battle, I can't leave the Blood Well as fast as you! I can't, I can't, I can't!" Genyn wailed as she started crying tears of frustration._

 _The redheaded nine year old's frown deepened, before he smiled softly at his weeping sister, his arms still up in the air._

 _"Hey."_

 _Genyn hiccuped as she looked up at him while rubbing her eyes cutely, "What?"_

 _"When you were born, you were just like me. You did something no other Sanguis has ever done before."_

 _The little girl's eyes widened, "I did?"_

 _He nodded, "Uh huh! Wanna know what you did?"_

 _Her tears forgotten, the girl quickly bounced in place, "What'd I do?! What'd I do?!"_

 _Naibu smiled as a tiny, tiny tendril of blood flowed in front of the girl and began tickling her cheek. Genyn giggled in delight._

 _"The first time you saw blood... You smiled!"_

 _Her eyes went wide as she stared at him in awe, "I did?"_

 _"You did! All children, even Sanguis, are scared of blood when they first see it! But not you; not my sister! She smiled, and laughed, and loved it! A true Sanguis!"_

 _Genyn stared up at him, starstruck._

 _"Your blood is as pure as mine, little sister, and the two of us are beyond even our clansmen. Never forget that."_

 _Naibu grinned brightly at her, and then he dropped both his arms from the air._

 _Danzo watched on as the bodies floating in the air all began writhing for several seconds, before dropping, each one leaving a trail of blood floating behind._

 _The blood began flowing around Genyn in a large circle, forming a small tornado of pure crimson as the girl laughed._

 _"Come on, Genyn, let's go home!" Naibu called out, and the girl only responded with laughter as a tendril of blood swooped down below her feet and lifted her into the sky._

 _Genyn grew higher and higher, looking out from above the blood tornado and waving down at Danzo and Orochimaru as Naibu began to walk away, the tornado slowly moving by his side._

 _"Bye, animals!"_

 _Orochimaru gave a little wave back to the girl as Danzo stared at the back of the young boy._

 _'Weak... Pathetic... Outshined... I don't care what Orochimaru says, that boy is the opposite of every single thing he claims. The Sanguis clan... What a marvelous clan!'_

 _The control this boy, this child, held over his Kekkei Genkai. A nine year old child just single handedly took down twelve of his Root members, and he did so magnificently._

 _Danzo turned his eyes to the tornado of crimson._

 _'Beautiful.'_

 _Possibilities began running amuck through the elders head._

 _'Imagine... Imagine if Konoha could attain such power! Imagine how much stronger the Leaf Village could grow, were they to attain this Chi Sosa!'_

 _Orochimaru looked over at Danzo and smirked knowingly._

 _"Something on your mind, old friend?"_

 _Danzo merely shook his head._

 _"Nothing at all."_

* * *

 _ **'Clack'**_... _**'Clack'**_ **...** _ **'Clack'**_... _**'Clack'**_ **...**

The sound of his walking stick hitting the floor echoed through the hallways as the man made his way steadily up the Hokage Tower.

 _'It was a mistake... It was a mistake to ever allow those wretched Sanguis to enter our village!'_

Danzo scowled internally, however on the outside he maintained his calm, cool facade.

 _'If that damned Minato had just let me handle everything, we'd have a brand new clan in our midst! A nearly extinct clan! The Chi Sosa would be property of the Leaf, forever!'_

Danzo paused as he came across his reflection, and the man scowled.

The sight of himself sent revulsion through his entire being.

There was nothing wrong with him, not really. He wasn't attractive, nor was he unattractive. He was just another, elderly man.

He glared into his right eye hatefully.

It was _supposed_ to be Shisui Uchiha's eye, not his own.

He'd had it all planned out. He would take Shisui's eyes, use the Kotoamatsukami to gain the position of Hokage, and have Orochimaru place Hashirama Senju's cells inside his body in order to use Kotoamatsukami more often.

Instead, Itachi freaking Uchiha had taken _both_ eyes.

Damn him.

Danzo continued walking, annoyed at the slight limp in his step.

Itachi had done that to him, too.

 _Damn him._

As the man continued walking, his thoughts strayed back towards Kane Sanguis.

 _'Stupid brat. He was supposed to be here, working under me in Root, pretending to be the Jinchuriki. Instead, Minato screwed it all up. Now, the damned brat's gotten himself taken by Akatsuki, and now the Chi Sosa is lost forever.'_

To think, the boy had become such a splendid ninja. It was everything Danzo could have hoped for. To earn the title of S-Rank at such a young age...

He had been such a disappointment, growing up. Danzo had kept close watch on the boy, and the brat was absolutely _nothing_ like Naibu Sanguis when he was young.

But then, he'd suddenly _skyrocketed_ in strength after leaving Konoha.

He might even have surpassed Naibu.

If only he'd _stayed in the damned village._

Minato screwed _everything_ up in regards to the Sanguis brat.

Minato hadn't let him raise Kane. He hadn't let him take Kane in as a Root member. He hadn't let him adopt him.

He hadn't let him indoctrinate the damned brat and turn him into a loyal Leaf Village Shinobi.

And, of course, the brat ended up abandoning Konoha because of this.

It was time to cut his losses. It was time to stop protecting the damned brat in the hopes that he'd come back someday. It was time to focus on those ninja still loyal to the village.

Those ninja that truly mattered.

Ninja like Naruko Namikaze.

And so, he'd made a decision. A decision that was a long time coming. It was time to stop hiding; it was time for the world to know the _truth._ There were so, _so_ many factors to consider... So many reasons to do what he'd done.

There would be those that didn't understand why he'd made such a choice... Those like the Fourth Hokage.

Which was the very reason he was being summoned by the man.

It didn't matter. What's done is done. He'd made the choice, and he didn't regret it. If given the chance, he'd make the same decision once again.

It was the correct call, in his opinion.

 _For Konoha._

The man opened the doors to the Fourth Hokage's office, and the blonde sat at his desk, his arms folded in front of him.

And he looked _furious._

 _"Sit down, Danzo."_

Danzo obeyed, calmly taking a seat as he stared at the Yellow Flash neutrally.

Minato pinched his nose as he took a deep breath, visibly attempting to calm himself.

 _"Why?"_ Minato asked coldly.

Danzo raised an eyebrow, "Why? For the sake of the village, of course."

Minato slammed his fist into his desk, Danzo not jumping in the slightest at the display of aggression.

"For the sake of the village?! How is this good for the village, Danzo?!"

"Kane Sanguis has been captured by the Akatsuki. He's lost to us, for good."

Minato glowered at him, "You don't know that."

"Do I not? Was it not Jiraiya himself, stuck in the hospital right now as we speak, who told you? The boy is gone, Hokage-sama, and there's no bringing him back at this point."

Minato grit his teeth.

He couldn't remember the last time he was so furious.

"You didn't think to consult with me before making such a rash decision?"

"There was little point, and it was hardly rash, Hokage-sama. Surely you see the benefits in my decision."

Minato continued to glare at him, and Danzo stared back calmly.

"The village is in full-blown panic mode, Danzo! Nobody knows what to do, or how to react to the news you've just _sprung_ on them earlier today! It won't be long until the entire world knows!"

Danzo nodded, "It's too late to go back, Hokage-sama. It's time to focus on more pressing matters."

Minato continued to glare.

"I just don't understand _why,_ Danzo. Why did you do it?"

The two stared at each other, the atmosphere thick with tension.

"Why did you announce to the world that Naruko is the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails?"

* * *

End of Chapter 71

 _A poem, taught to every Sanguis child when they are young:_

 _"When you see the Red Sea~!_

 _You'll understand our purity~!_

 _If you're in the Blood Well~!_

 _You'll regret it if you dwell~!_

 _All the other clans are oh so lame~!_

 _'Cause they don't have our blood, running through their veins~!_

 _And those that don't share our blood~!_

 _Are as worthless as the mud~!_

 _There's no such thing as peace~!_

 _No, not for the Sanguis~!_

 _Worthless, all the other clans~!_

 _The tree people, the white eyes, and those that don the fan~!"_


	75. Chapter 72

_August 2nd, 4 Days after the capture of Kane Sanguis..._

Jiraiya sighed to himself as he stared up at the white ceiling.

He felt miserable. Absolutely, completely, positively _miserable._

Four days ago, Kane Sanguis was captured by the Akatsuki. Four days ago, he'd been reverse-summoned to _Mount Myouboku_. He'd spent two days at the home of the Toads, completely unconscious. The third day, he'd awoken, and begged Ma to allow him to return to Konoha. The old frog had refused both him _and_ Fukasaku, saying Jiraiya wasn't fit for the travel.

Jiraiya's entire body stung even now, and he knew it was because he'd fought a ruthless, fierce battle right after losing the majority of his blood. His body had failed on him almost immediately upon arriving at Mount Myouboku, and he still hadn't fully recovered.

He was alive, though. That's all that mattered.

An entire day, he'd wasted away there. Although, to be fair, he'd slept for most of that time, too.

Then, Ma finally agreed, at Pa's behest, to let him come home. Fukasaku told the old frog that not only did Jiraiya need to report to Konoha, but he would receive better treatment there as well. The female toad had made him _swear_ he would head straight for the hospital, and Jiraiya had kept his word. He knew Minato would _Hiraishin_ straight to the hospital when he received word, anyway.

He'd been proven right. Minato had appeared only minutes after he'd been placed in a bed.

The two had spent a long time talking, Jiraiya revealing everything he knew to the man.

Minato had looked saddened when he told him about Kane's Tsunami.

It was nothing compared to the look on _Naruko's_ face, though...

Naruko and the Uchiha brat, Sasuke, arrived not long after he finished telling his story to Minato. After making sure he was okay, the girl all but demanded he tell her what happened after she learned Kane had been involved.

He'd told her everything, except...

Jiraiya shook his head. Those thoughts only served to trouble him further.

Naruko's face, when she found out that the kid had been captured by Pain...

It hurt.

Jiraiya wished, more than anything else, he could fix it.

He wished he'd brought the Sanguis kid home. He wished he'd, at the very least, defeated Pain. He wished he'd found out what had driven Nagato and Konan down such a dark path. He wished he hadn't let the kid get captured by the Akatsuki.

 _He wished he hadn't failed._

And now, he was just sitting here. Alone. Stuck in bed for the next several days as his body recovered...

Then, he'd found out something that troubled him even more.

The entire village was in an uproar. Apparently, vital information had been revealed to the public...

Information even _he_ hadn't been aware of.

 _Naruko was the true Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune._

The thought caused the Sannin to grow dizzy for a moment.

 _Why hadn't Minato told him?_

Jiraiya felt hurt. Betrayed. And yet, he understood why his pupil had kept silent on the subject. He'd trained him in the art of secrecy himself, after all.

 _'Kami... But the kid...'_

Jiraiya had no doubt in his mind.

Kane Sanguis was dead. Or he would be, if he hadn't been killed yet.

Akatsuki would take the boy's life, after discovering he didn't hold the Kyuubi. The odds of any other scenario happening were slim, and Jiraiya was nothing if not a realist.

Maybe, the kid wouldn't have lost his life. Maybe, Naruko's precious person could have been saved by him. Maybe, he could've spared his Goddaughter such heartache.

 _Maybe, If he hadn't failed._

* * *

He clenched his fists, his knuckles shaking.

 _He didn't care!_

"... And so, once again, I stress unto you, Sasuke, that you must be selective-"

 _He didn't care!_

"... Loss of sight, if-"

 _He didn't care!_

"... Must not abuse-"

Sasuke slammed his fist onto the board in front of him, the wood cracking beneath the force of his blow. His head was down, his hair shielding his face from view as he glared at the floor.

Fugaku stopped speaking as he stared at his youngest child silently.

Sasuke took several deep breaths, his body shaking.

"Is there a problem, Sasuke?" Fugaku asked calmly, his one eye roaming across the boy's tense features.

Sasuke grit his teeth, and Fugaku sat patiently as he awaited an answer.

 _"I should be with her..."_ Sasuke whispered, and Fugaku continued to watch his son.

He'd heard the boy clearly, but he would not accept such an answer. Sasuke was an Uchiha, and would learn to act like one. He would speak clearly and confidently when addressing others, especially his father and head of house.

He knew exactly what had the boy so troubled, but it was no excuse for his behavior.

"Speak up, Sasuke." Fugaku demanded.

The two sat in silence, the only sound being Sasuke's ragged breathing.

Fugaku nodded after several moments.

"As I was saying, you-"

 _"Can I go?"_ Sasuke snapped as he glared up at him, anger and determination in his eyes.

Fugaku went silent as the two stared into one another's eyes.

Normally, Fugaku would not tolerate such blatant disrespect, especially from his own son and heir.

And yet, when the man stared into the sad, desperate eyes of his son, he found he could not bring himself to reprimand the boy.

Fugaku gave a curt nod.

Sasuke was out the door before he even finished.

* * *

"Poor Naruko..." Ino whispered. Teams 8 and 10 were at a restaurant, enjoying a meal together as they discussed the village's hot topic.

"Yeah... To think, it was her all along." Chouji murmurred as he shook his head.

"It's gotta be hard, knowing it's sealed inside her. I wonder if she knew the entire time?" Sakura asked out loud.

Shino nodded, "That is most likely the case."

Shikamaru kept quiet on the subject. He still wasn't sure how to feel about the whole thing.

Well, that's not true. The entire thing was one big _drag._

Shikamaru glanced at Kiba. The Inuzuka hadn't spoken a word the entire time, and he was glaring down at the table, his fangs elongated as the hand holding a glass of water was shaking.

Ino shook her head before continuing the conversation, "I hope Naruko's okay. We should go check on her, after we're-"

The glass in Kiba's hand _shattered,_ causing Ino, Sakura and Chouji to all jump as they looked at the boy in alarm.

"Kiba, are you okay?!" Sakura asked, and the boy just snarled down at the table.

Ino hesitated, "Kiba...?"

"Naruko, Naruko, _Naruko_... Is that all you guys can think about?!"

Shino kept silent, Shikamaru looked thoughtful, and the others looked surprised.

"What do you mean?! Of course we're worried about Naruko! She's part of the Rookie Nine! She's one of us! Why wouldn't we be worried?!" Sakura asked, flabbergasted.

Kiba banged the table with a closed fist in frustration.

"This is about Kane, isn't it?" Shikamaru asked, and everyone turned to face the Nara.

Kiba scowled, "You guys are so concerned about Naruko, that none of you even thought about Kane! The guy's been _taken_ by Akatsuki, don'tcha know? For the Nine Tails. _That he doesn't even have."_

Sakura frowned at her teammate, "Since when do you care about Kane?"

Kiba closed his eyes in frustration and grief, "Look, I just... I don't know, okay? All I know is, I get it."

"Get what?" Ino asked.

"I get why the guy abandoned Konoha! I get why the guy does the things he does! I get it!"

Everyone looked surprised at the boy's words.

Shino decided to speak up, "He's a traitor to the village."

"Yeah, well, so what?! The guy's gone through Hell here, we all know that... But to make it worse? He never even had the demon to begin with! The guy never had a chance to live a normal life, and it was over something that had nothing to do with him! He's been treated terribly by Konoha, by _us... By me..."_

Kiba shook his head, "And now he's gone."

Ino tensed up, "You don't know that, Kiba!"

"No, he's right." Shikamaru interjected.

Everyone looked upset by the words.

Shino nodded his head, "Kane Sanguis is most likely already dead."

Kiba's scowl deepened as he glared down in self-loathing.

 _'I never even got to say I'm sorry.'_

* * *

Naruko stared straight ahead as she walked through the streets of Konoha. Everywhere she went, civilians gave her a wide berth. No longer were there greetings and heartfelt hellos. No longer were people looking at the girl with pure adoration. No longer were there comments on how much they adored her.

Now, it was everything else.

Concern, regret, sorrow, anger...

 _Fear..._

The emotions her presence evoked were varied person to person.

She didn't care. She ignored them all, continuing to stare straight ahead as she walked.

She didn't have a destination in mind. No purpose for her stroll. She was just... Walking. The blonde haired girl was on auto-pilot, her thoughts a jumbled mess.

She blinked as a ninja jumped in front of her.

"Sasuke? I thought you had Mangekyou training with your dad?"

"Yeah, well, it's been postponed." He said with a gruff as he stepped beside her, and the two fell in stride together.

Neither spoke to each other, but Naruko was glad he'd come.

"Poor girl... I hope she's okay..." An elderly woman whispered, and the husband beside her scoffed.

"Of course she's okay! That's Konoha's princess, and future Hokage!"

The two ignored them as they continued their march.

Naruko let out a sigh and Sasuke glanced at her.

"Let's go to the bridge... I want to get away from everybody for a while."

Sasuke nodded, and the two changed course.

As they rounded a corner, a man sneered at them before taking a step forward. Naruko looked at the man in surprise as he spat on the ground near her feet.

 _"Wolf in sheep's clothing."_ The man hissed, and Naruko flinched as Sasuke growled and shoved the man back.

Naruko closed her eyes and shook her head, and the two hurried along, eager to get away.

* * *

Minato Namikaze sat in his office, his hands crossed, deep in thought. He was completely alone, and the only sounds to be heard were the noises from outside the huge window in the room. His thoughts were on Danzo Shimura, Naruko Namikaze, and Kane Sanguis...

And the conversation he'd just had with the elder.

There were consequences for revealing secrets. _Especially_ S-Ranked ones.

Minato knew it.

Danzo knew it.

And yet, Danzo had done so. He'd revealed an S-Ranked secret to the world. This was practically treason, and the punishment for such an act would be... _Harsh._

Most of the time.

This time was different.

Danzo was playing political chess, and they both knew it.

As far as the secret went, the only people who knew about it were himself, Danzo, Naruko, Sasuke Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake. Well, and Team Gai sans Gai himself, as well as that Root boy, Sai. The four of them had discovered the truth in Water Country. Of course, there was also Kane himself, his travelling companions... Then there was that Sound ninja, Kabuto Yakushi...

Still, none of that mattered. There may have been people who knew _of_ the secret, but there were only two people in the world who knew that it _was_ a secret. Him and Danzo.

Naruko's status was an S-Ranked secret, but only Danzo and himself knew that it held that title, along with everything that entailed. Kakashi would, obviously, assume it to be an S-Ranked secret, but it was never confirmed to the man.

It was never confirmed to _any_ of them. It never had to be. The threat of repercussions from revealing an S-Ranked secret were never mentioned to Team 7 or Team Gai. Team 7's silence was bought simply by stating it was in Kane Sanguis' best interest to keep it 'hush hush'. Danzo assured him many times of Sai's loyalty, and that the boy wouldn't say a thing unless ordered to. Lastly, Team Gai kept silent simply because it was Naruko's choice, and frankly none of their business. Their bond of friendship with his daughter ensured their secrecy as well.

As far as everyone else was concerned, Naruko's status as a Jinchuriki was a tightly kept secret, but it wasn't actually a _Village_ secret.

Ordinarily, revealing a Village S-Ranked secret would warrant _severe_ punishment...

 _But nobody knew it was a Village secret._

Except him.

Except for Minato.

Minato could let Danzo off the hook. He wouldn't even have to give the man a slap on the wrist...

And they both knew it.

Minato held all the power. He could announce that the secret Danzo spilled was a Village secret, and punish the man for his treason. Or, he could keep it quiet, and as far as the world was concerned, the man discovered the truth on his own and decided to tell everybody.

It was up to Minato to decide Danzo's fate.

So, he'd played along with Danzo's little game. He'd listened intently as the man gave off his reasons for telling the world. He'd listened, deciding to hear the man out before making a decision. He'd listened to _everything._

Ordinarily, the identity of a Jinchuriki was _not_ a well kept secret. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Hiding a Jinchuriki from the world was no easy task, as the signs were very easy to spot. The only reason it had worked so well thus far was because Kane had been used as a scapegoat. The world had believed to already know of the identity of the Nine Tails Jinchuriki, so there was no need to be on the lookout for it.

Not only that, but Villages _wanted_ the world to know they had a Jinchuriki. It was political power. Hiding a Jinchuriki from the world, if you were even able to, would also mean the other villages were likely to assume that you _didn't have it._

Finally, after years of Konoha 'not having a Jinchuriki', the world would know that the Kyuubi still resided with them. It would be a _huge_ political boost.

Minato wouldn't lie. Part of him didn't want the world to know, didn't want _Akatsuki_ to know, because of the dangers it could pose for his daughter. The dangers it _would_ pose.

But, Danzo had countered that as well... Konoha would be the first place the Akatsuki would check for the Nine Tails when they realized they'd been duped. They'd being attempting to discern the true identity of the Jinchuriki as soon as possible.

It wouldn't take a genius to figure out who the next likely candidate would be.

Akatsuki would set their sights on his daughter.

Minato had argued this point, stating that even if they _did_ begin going after Naruko, they wouldn't _know_ she was the Jinchuriki.

Danzo had argued that, while this was true, now that the truth was revealed, they could take affirmative action. Konoha could take steps to ensure Naruko's safety. While Akatsuki would know for sure of her status, it would be much harder for them to actually capture her.

Minato begrudgingly admitted the man was right, but at the same time...

He was wrong.

'Steps to ensure Naruko's safety' could mean a number of different things, and yet Minato couldn't think of a _single one_ that Naruko wouldn't fight against.

It would be a challenge, controlling his little spitfire of a daughter.

She was so much like her mother.

Minato smiled fondly for a moment before turning serious again, his thoughts running a mile a minute.

Danzo was needed. Minato knew it, and Danzo knew it as well. If Minato were to have the man punished for treason, then who would run Root? Even if Minato _did_ manage to uncover all the secrets from the organization, there were things Danzo knew that Minato knew he would never divulge. The organization could _only_ be run by Danzo. No Danzo, no Root.

And Konoha needed Root.

Minato had thought about trying to disband the organization before, but his time spent in office had weathered the man to the realities of the world. Minato was anything but naive. You didn't survive a war by being naive. Still, being Hokage had shown him there was always more than meets the eye. Always more happening than it first appears. _Always._

Root helped Konoha in ways even Minato couldn't fully grasp.

Only Danzo could.

Everything Danzo said made sense. It was logical. Sound.

But Minato wasn't an idiot. He knew this was less so about Naruko and the Kyuubi, and more about Kane Sanguis. He didn't know why the man was so damned obsessed with Kane.

But it didn't matter. At least, not right now. What mattered was the repercussions of Danzo's choice on the village. The repercussions of his choice on Naruko.

Minato knew, if ever there was a time to remove the man from power, _this_ was it.

And yet, in the end, Minato hadn't done a thing.

 _He'd let Danzo walk away._

* * *

"You okay?" Sasuke asked as he stared at the girl sitting next to him.

The two were perched up on the railings on the bridge, Team 7's official meeting spot.

When was the last time the _entire_ team had sat here together?

"No. I'm not." Naruko said flatly, and Sasuke huffed in annoyance.

"Don't let that moron get to you."

"He didn't."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the girl, "He didn't?"

Naruko shook her head, "No. It didn't bother me. Not really. All I could think about when he said it, was..."

Sasuke nodded solemnly, "What it must've been like for the Dead Last."

Naruko looked stricken, "Sasuke, he had nobody. Nobody! And the _entire_ village treated him that way! I..."

Sasuke waited patiently for the girl to gather her thoughts.

"What if we're wrong?" She whispered.

"Wrong?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah! What if we're wrong! What if... What if we're wrong for trying to bring Kane back here. Back to Konoha."

Sasuke shook his head, "Of course we're not wrong, idiot. This is his home."

Naruko scowled at him, and he looked at her in surprise at the sudden display of hostility.

"He doesn't think so, and I wouldn't want to call a place like that home, either."

They fell into silence for a while, both listening to the calm river below.

"Things are different, Naruko. Times are changing. Konoha's not the same place as what Kane left behind. _He's_ not the same. The Dead Last's grown strong, and he can take care of himself now... And now, the entire village knows the truth. _We_ know the truth. Kakashi knows the truth. Things will be different."

Naruko said nothing as she watched the boy out of the corner of one eye.

"Maybe Kane thinks we're in the wrong... But that's why we'll just have to prove to him otherwise. We'll bring him home, and he'll see that things will be different. He's our family."

Naruko grimaced.

"If he's even alive..." She whispered, the words causing her to become physically ill.

Sasuke said nothing to that.

* * *

When word of his old sensei arriving in the village first reached Minato, the Hokage had learned the man was hospitalized.

He'd teleported there immediately, and Jiraiya had told him everything.

 _Everything._

About Kane, and how strong the boy had grown. About Pain, and the fabled Rinnegan. About the fight, between the three powerful Shinobi.

About the Tsunami, Kane had attempted to destroy an entire village with...

About Pain capturing the boy...

Kami, it was one huge mess.

Naruko had shown up not long after along with Sasuke. The girl had been terrified for her godfather, but had relaxed upon finding the man to be perfectly fine, if not a bit banged up.

Upon finding out exactly _why_ the man was so hurt, Naruko had begun grilling the man for details, Sasuke listening intently the entire time.

Jiraiya retold the story, but he left out one minor detail...

He hadn't told the girl about Kane's actions. Not the Tsunami, not his literal pounding of her Godfather, not how he'd ripped the man's very blood from his body before drinking it as if it were water...

When Minato asked why he'd withheld such vital information from the girl, Jiraiya had looked... Sad.

The man had just responded with, "I don't know."

When Jiraiya told the two about the outcome of the fight...

Minato had never seen his daughter look so pale.

Naruko had grown quiet, speaking softly and rarely. After giving a hug to Jiraiya, she and Sasuke had left.

Minato truly felt worried for his daughter after that.

He sighed as he rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

 _'What an insane day...'_

Jiraiya had appeared in the village, _hospitalized..._

Kane Sanguis had been captured by the Akatsuki...

Danzo had revealed the truth about Naruko's status to the world...

And now, he was concerned for his daughter's well-being, too...

Minato let out a sigh of relief as he felt his ministrations give him reprieve, the oncoming headache slowly beginning to fade away as he relaxed.

The door _burst_ open, and Minato's head snapped up to find himself staring at Might Gai.

 _"Hokage-sama!"_

Gai looked serious, concerned, panicked... He was sweating, as if he'd sprinted across the entire village to get here, which was most likely true.

"What is it, Gai?" He asked as he turned serious in an instant.

He couldn't remember the last time the happy-go-lucky Might Gai had looked like that.

Minato felt his headache coming back stronger than before, and it was clear he'd have a migraine by the end of the night.

He had a feeling things were about to become even more complicated, too.

 _"Itachi Uchiha just entered the village!"_

* * *

End of Chapter 72

 _ **A/N:**_

 _A timeline of the Arcs, since several people have asked for clarification._

 _Arc 1: The Beginning_

 _Arc 2: The Timeskip_

 _Arc 3: The Hunt_

 _Arc 4: The Pure  
_

 _Arc 5: ?_

 _Arc 6: ?_

The plan is for a total of 6 Arcs, with the final Arc being the shortest as we wrap up the story. Arc 6 is planned to be basically a "mini-Arc", as it will be by far the shortest. Arc 5 and Arc 6 might possibly be merged into 1 Arc, depending. We'll see.


	76. Chapter 73

_"You're exceptional, Itachi!"_

 _The young boy frowned in response. Why was Shisui always saying that? He wasn't half as good as him!_

 _"Earlier, If I had more skills..."_

 _Shisui only laughed in response, getting a wide eyed look from Itachi._

 _"You know, it's funny, at first I thought there was really nothing I could teach you. But..."_

 _"You've taught me a lot!" Itachi argued._

 _Shisui gave the boy a large grin in return, "Yeah, and that's what made me so happy!"_

 _Itachi couldn't hold back the smile if he tried._

* * *

 _"Heh, you're pretty good, even though you're only a child!" The Anbu woman spoke to Itachi, slowly bringing her katana forward to cut a single string of the ninja wire surrounding her._

 _Itachi said nothing, staring down at the woman with a blank mask._

 _The Anbu woman gasped as the ninja wire proceeded to wrap around her neck, completely immobilizing her._

 _"What?!"_

 _"I told you, nothing gets passed these eyes." Itachi spoke calmly._

 _Even at such a young age, the boy's cold demeanor was able to instill fear into the Anbu woman._

 _Shisui smirked at the thought._

* * *

 _"Heh, would ya look at that? Looks like now I have more wins than you!" Shisui spoke with a smirk, and Itachi continued panting as he gave the boy a shaky smile._

 _"You're right. Looks like I lost."_

 _Shisui frowned as he approached, "Although, things might've gone differently if you weren't so lost in thought."_

 _Itachi's eyes widened as he glanced up at Shisui before giving a guilty smile, "You noticed that, did you?"_

 _"Come on, Itachi, how long have I known you?" Shisui asked with a grin as he stuck his two fingers out._

 _Itachi interlocked their fingers together with a small, fond smile._

* * *

 _"Danzo..." Shisui whispered as he glared up at the village elder, several root members surrounding him._

 _"All of you, just stay back." Danzo ordered as he approached the panting Shisui._

 _The two stared out each other from across the open fields, the wind blowing leaves across the landscape._

 _"What's the meaning of this?! Why are you attacking me?!" Shisui yelled out._

 _"Kotoamatsukami... The strongest Genjutsu in known existence. A visual jutsu that creates false experiences." Danzo replied calmly._

 _Shisui grit his teeth in annoyance, understanding dawning in his eyes._

 _"Such an incredible gift, Shisui. You've used it for the benefit of the village, which I thank you for, but your ambition is too narrow. You don't know how to use your gift to the fullest effect."_

 _Shisui glared hatefully. To think, the man would commit such an act because of his eyes!_

 _Danzo shook his head mockingly._

 _"How unfortunate, that an Uchiha doesn't know how to use the Sharingan."_

 _"To think, you'd betray the village just for my eyes!" Shisui snapped, and Danzo raised an eyebrow in response._

 _"Betray the village? I've done no such thing. This is all for the sake of the Leaf Village."_

 _"For the sake of the village?! I'm a loyal Konoha Shinobi!" Shisui yelled out in response._

 _"Yes, and as a loyal Konoha Shinobi, do what's best for the village, Shisui Uchiha..."_

 _The two stared at each other, and Danzo's eyes widened._

 _"And die!"_

* * *

 _Shisui cried out as he collapsed. He glared up hatefully at the Anbu jumping away from him before turning his attention back to Danzo._

 _"You've been infected by my Aburame's special bug. By the end of the day, you will die, Shisui. Give me your eyes now, and I'll spare you such a terrible fate by ending your life quickly." Danzo ordered calmly._

 _'I can't let this happen!'_

 _Shisui snarled before throwing a smoke bomb onto the ground and jumping away._

 _"Lord Danzo!" One of the Root members cried out, and Danzo glared back in response._

 _"Get him! He couldn't have gotten far!"_

 _"Yes sir!" They cried out before jumping after Shisui._

* * *

 _Itachi fought them off, and found them to be far weaker than anticipated._

 _Clearly, Shisui tired them out._

 _As the last Root member collapsed to the ground, Itachi jumped over to Shisui._

 _"Are you alright?" He asked with concern, and Shisui gave him a tight smile, his body shaking in pain._

 _"Of course! Well, I'm hurting like hell, but I'll live... Errrr..." He trailed off, and Itachi's eyes widened before narrowing dangerously._

 _"Shisui!" He ordered, and Shisui flinched before giving him a disarming smile._

 _"Well, I'm kind of going to die." Shisui said with a low chuckle as he winced again._

* * *

 _"I want you to take them, Itachi. There's noone else in the world I'd trust them with." Shisui said calmly._

 _"Shisui, I can't! Even if I wanted to, the Uchiha clan will want to know where they went! They'll want them destroyed! My father will not let your eyes, of all peoples, to be taken. Not even by me!"_

 _Shisui smiled sadly at that, "Well, if they have to be destroyed, I'd rather you be the one to do it."_

 _"Shisui..." Itachi choked out._

 _"Besides, this way I don't have to die in serious pain. This shit hurts, Itachi!" He said with a laugh as he held back another wince._

 _Itachi nodded in understanding._

 _Neither spoke for a while._

 _"How's Sasuke doing?" Shisui asked, and Itachi looked at the other boy in confusion._

 _"He's... fine."_

 _Shisui nodded, "He's in the academy, right? How are his studies coming along?"_

 _Itachi gave a tight smile, "Very well. He's the top of his class, in fact."_

 _Shisui chuckled, "Of course he is. Would expect nothing less!"_

 _Itachi looked thoughtful for a moment, "Although..."_

 _Shisui looked curious, "Although?"_

 _"Naruko Namikaze, the Hokage's daughter, is in his class as well. I expect he'll have quite the competition in the coming years."_

 _"Nothing Sasuke can't handle, I'm sure! After all, he has you for a big brother!" Shisui said with a huge grin, and Itachi smiled in response._

 _The two continued speaking about trivial topics well into the night, the final conversations the two would ever have together._

* * *

 _"I don't understand." Minato said with a frown, and Itachi stared out into the sunset._

 _"I won't give them up." Itachi said simply._

 _"Itachi-kun, you don't have a choice. They're the property of the Uchiha clan. I understand that Fugaku is your father, but he won't make an exception, not even for you."_

 _"Did you know that Jiraiya-sama approached me recently, Hokage-sama?" Itachi asked simply, and Minato looked surprised at the comment._

 _"I did not." He replied calmly._

 _"He needs more people working for him. More agents. He asked me to become one. He asked Shisui, too." Itachi said, trailing off at the mention of his longtime friend._

 _"What did you say?" Minato asked._

 _"I said no. I said my place was here, in Konoha. At my home. With my family. With my little brother."_

 _Minato nodded, and Itachi closed his eyes._

 _"Shisui said yes."_

 _Minato's eyes widened, "Is that so?"_

 _Itachi nodded, "I asked Shisui why he would agree to that. He'd be leaving his home for a long time, most likely years. Do you know what he told me, Hokage-sama?"_

 _Minato said nothing, he just kept watching the young Uchiha._

 _"He said... 'Self-Sacrifice, a nameless Shinobi who protects peace within it's shadow, that is a true Shinobi'."_

 _Once again, Minato kept silent._

 _"I want to carry on Shisui's will, Hokage-sama. I want to do what is best for Konoha. I want to keep his eyes, and use them for the benefit of the village, just like Shisui would have wanted."_

 _Minato nodded slowly, "So you will become one of Jiraiya-sensei's agents."_

 _Itachi nodded._

 _"You realize, Itachi-kun, that Jiraiya-sensei will most likely want you to be declared a Missing Ninja, right? You'll be far more valuable to him that way than you would be as a traveling Leaf Ninja."_

 _"Yes." Itachi replied simply._

 _"And you're okay with that?"_

 _"Yes." Itachi said again._

 _Minato frowned, "Are you sure you can handle it?"_

 _Itachi blinked slowly, his eyes still trained on the sunset._

 _"If you want to know who you are, you have to look at yourself and acknowledge what you see."_

 _Minato stared at this young boy, no, this young man in awe._

 _He was wise beyond his years._

* * *

 _Zetsu frowned at Tobi, confused as to the man's reasoning._

 _Black Zetsu decided to speak up._

 _"Itachi Uchiha is a Konoha loyalist, and secret agent of Jiraiya of the Sannin. If you know this, why are we recruiting the man?"_

 _Tobi crossed his hands in a relaxed pose as he turned to address the plant member._

 _"Itachi could prove useful to us. He's a strong, competent Shinobi that could add a great deal to Akatsuki's strength."_

 _"But Itachi is one of Jiraiya's dogs!" White Zetsu said, aghast._

 _"And we know Jiraiya has taken special interest in Akatsuki as of late." Black Zetsu added._

 _Tobi nodded, "Indeed. Which is why we're going to give him the 'in' he so desperately wants."_

 _"By recruiting Itachi Uchiha?" Black Zetsu asked in confusion._

 _"Yes. By recruting Itachi, we can add to Akatsuki's strength, while at the same time regulate exactly what information gets passed down to Jiraiya." Tobi explained calmly._

 _"But wouldn't it be better to give him no information at all?" White Zetsu asked._

 _"Jiraiya is crafty. He'll figure stuff out, whether we want him to or not." Tobi replied._

 _"And so if we decide exactly what he learns ourselves..." Black Zetsu trailed off in understanding._

 _"We can get him off our backs, add a powerful Shinobi to our arsenal, and control exactly how much the man learns about us."_

 _"But Itachi is smart! You said it yourself." White Zetsu pointed out._

 _Tobi's eye narrowed, "Yes. We'll have to keep a careful eye on Itachi Uchiha. The man will almost certainly figure out more than we originally intend for him to."_

 _"This is risky." White Zetsu said._

 _"This is clever." Black Zetsu responded._

 _Tobi merely waved the plant off, and he left to continue to his duties._

* * *

 _Itachi kept a stoic face as he kept to the shadows, watching the two guards on patrol walk right by him without taking notice._

 _He quickly took off, heading down the dark hallway, his Sharingan taking in every detail as he watched for anything unusual._

 _Jiraiya had a mission for him, and he intended to deliver._

 _Hanzo the Salamander, Kage of the Village Hidden in the Rain, has been acting unusual lately. Jiraiya was certain something was up, and he told Itachi that he believed the man to actually be dead._

 _He wanted to know for certain._

 _Itachi hadn't questioned the man, but Jiraiya trusted him. That much was obvious. He'd explained exactly why he wanted Itachi to come without him having to ask._

 _The Sannin had expressed interest in a group called Akatsuki several times before to Itachi, and told him to keep his ears open for any word of them. Itachi himself had never heard a thing about the group other than from Jiraiya._

 _Jiraiya seemed to believe the group originated here, in the Hidden Rain Village, for whatever reason._

 _And now, Hanzo the Salamander was acting strange, according to Jiraiya._

 _Hence, here he was, attempting to uncover the truth behind the man's status._

 _Itachi stuck to the ceiling as he eyed the room he just entered._

 _Hanzo's bedroom._

 _Nobody in sight..._

 _Itachi narrowed his eyes as he carefully began sneaking out the window._

 _This was a bust. Hanzo was most certainly not here, but it didn't mean he was dead. Perhaps the man had gone somewhere else for the night._

 _Itachi had his doubts about that, but he wouldn't message Jiraiya until he knew for certain._

 _As he jumped onto the roof of the large building, he began scanning the village, looking for any ideas or theories as to where the man could be located._

 _Itachi's eyes widened as he felt the presence of someone land on the roof directly behind him._

 _Itachi turned his head, still in a crouched position, and found himself staring back into purple eyes._

 _"Looking for something?" Pain asked calmly, and Itachi said nothing as the two stared at each other, Itachi's body tense._

 _Pain blinked slowly, "Perhaps, you're looking for Hanzo the Salamander?"_

 _Still, Itachi kept quiet._

 _"I can help you, if you'd like. I can tell you everything you want to know. About Hanzo..." He trailed off, and Itachi continued to watch the man, his face blank and his Sharingan locked onto him._

 _"About Akatsuki." Pain finished._

 _Itachi knew then, that Jiraiya had been right about everything._

* * *

 _Itachi didn't know what exactly it was, but something just didn't sit right with him._

 _Kane Sanguis, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko, and apparent orphan._

 _According to Pain, Kane Sanguis was from a clan. A clan that descended from Hoshi, in the Land of Bears. There were only two left supposedly, one of which was Naibu Sanguis._

 _Sasori confirmed that much. He'd fought Naibu Sanguis, and said that the man was 'intense, but nothing he couldn't handle.'_

 _Still, the more Itachi thought about the entire situation, the more his suspicions arose._

 _He wasn't sure what exactly didn't sit right with him, but his gut was screaming that something was off. Itachi knew it was always best to trust your instincts on these types of things._

 _"Something wrong, Itachi-san?" Kisame asked, and Itachi stood up suddenly._

 _"Let's pay him a little visit." Itachi said simply, and Kisame raised an eyebrow._

 _"Who?"_

 _"The Nine Tails Jinchuriki."_

* * *

 _To think, the boy wasn't actually a Jinchuriki at all!_

 _Not that he'd told anybody._

 _Itachi had delved deep into the young Kane Sanguis' mind, and learned much. The boy only recently discovered he wasn't a Jinchuriki, and apparently he'd only thought of himself as such for a short time before that._

 _Itachi was surprised at first, at the thought that the Fourth Hokage would do such a thing, but it didn't take him long to realize._

 _It wasn't something the Fourth would decide at all._

 _Only one man would've made such a decision._

 _Danzo Shimura._

 _Itachi felt annoyance bubble in his chest at the mere thought of the man. To think, despite Itachi's word, the Hokage's Anbu had been unable to find any evidence pointing towards Danzo being responsible for the incident involving Shisui's death. On the contrary, Danzo planted evidence that it was Itachi that had done it instead. Minato dismissed the evidence immediately as falsified, but Jiraiya, at Itachi's approval, argued against it._

 _They'd decided to play along. They'd let Itachi take the blame, and then he'd have a motive for going rogue. He wanted Shisui's eyes for himself; it was the perfect excuse. Itachi, of course, accepted such blame, despite knowing he would never do such a thing to his greatest friend._

 _Anything for the benefit of Konoha._

 _Just like Shisui would have wanted._

 _The only compensation he'd been able to receive from the Hokage was to tighten his grip around Root, restricting Danzo's power now more than ever before._

 _It definitely gave Itachi a sort of pleasure, knowing that Danzo most definitely regretted his decision to attack Shisui Uchiha. The boy died, his eyes were with Itachi, and Danzo had lost a lot of his freedom._

 _Itachi had broken his leg in the middle of the night, too._

 _'Stay away from my family, or I'll come from you.'_

 _The look of terror in Danzo's eyes when he'd threatened him sent a sick thrill throughout his being._

 _He truly hated the man._

 _Not that he'd show it._

 _Once again, Danzo Shimura was playing with the lives of others. He'd declared Kane-kun to be the Jinchuriki, when in fact it was Naruko Namikaze._

 _Itachi suspected there was more to it then just that. Danzo was too sharp; he wouldn't declare Kane without a specific reason. He wouldn't have chosen some random orphan._

 _No, Danzo had schemes in mind for Kane._

 _Thankfully, they'd never come to fruition._

 _Regrettably, it was because the boy abandoned the village._

 _Itachi probably would have stayed away, had he known his actions would lead to Kane Sanguis leaving the village. Kane hadn't even told Jiraiya or the Hokage about Akatsuki's plans, like he'd told the boy to..._

 _Thankfully he was able to get the message passed along to Jiraiya, only it was several months later than he'd have liked._

 _He wondered where Kane-kun was now..._

* * *

 _"Again!" The shrill voice barked, and Itachi actually had to hold back a wince._

 _What an awful sound, that woman's voice was._

 _Itachi peeked out from his spot amongst the trees, and he found what he was looking for._

 _'Well well, looks like you're here, right where we thought you were, Kane-kun.' Itachi thought to himself._

 _Kane Sanguis was sitting out in front of a lake during the middle of the day, grimacing as he continued willing water from the lake into the air._

 _He wondered why the boy looked so stressed out..._

 _It was raining, a slight drizzle, but the water was soothing in the heat of the summer. Itachi was however hidden from most of the onslaught due to the trees blocking out the rain. The two ninja he found himself watching, however, were standing in a perfect location to be hit by the weather. Not that Itachi would have minded it, were it him instead._

 _Kane didn't seem to agree, as he kept holding his head as if he were in pain, the old woman scowling at him every time he did so._

 _"You will learn to deal with the rain, brat!"_

 _Itachi raised an eyebrow at that._

 _The Uchiha Akatsuki member continued watching Kane train for some time, interested in the boy's strange ability to manipulate water._

 _Itachi saw the moment it happened. The old woman tensed, turning to look directly up at him, and Itachi found himself staring down with Sharingan eyes into the greyish silver of the old woman._

 _Interestingly enough, she had no wrinkles on her skin, Itachi noted._

 _The woman scowled up at him, and Itachi merely stared back blankly._

 _He turned and jumped away. He'd found Kane-kun, just as intended, and now he needed to find Kisame before the man found Kane, too. The man should be somewhere in Hoshi, and to this day Itachi wasn't sure how such a noticeable man was so proficient in espionage._

 _Kisame, obviously, will not have found Kane. Itachi hadn't found him, either._

 _At least, that's what he'd tell Akatsuki._

 _Kane Sanguis was most certainly not in the Land of Bears._

* * *

 _August 2nd, 4 days after the capture of Kane Sanguis..._

"Well, don't you worry your pretty little head, we'll figure something out." Jiraiya said with a smirk, and Itachi nodded at the man he'd been spilling secrets to for years.

Itachi had immediately been placed into the hospital, in the same room as Jiraiya, as ordered by Minato.

Itachi looked ill. Weak. As if he'd been sick for some time and needed to rest.

He'd told Minato and Jiraiya the whole story after being tucked into the bed by a nurse. Itachi told them all about exactly _why_ he'd returned.

He was dying. Kane Sanguis infected his blood, and now his own bloodline was killing him from the inside out. If there was a cure, Itachi didn't know of it. Akatsuki couldn't heal him, and he'd be no use to Konoha dead.

So, he'd left, and come to the only place in the world he could in order to receive treatment, if it were at all possible.

His time in Akatsuki was finished.

His time as a Missing Ninja, was finished.

 _He was home._

The doors to the room _burst_ open, and Sasuke sprinted in, Naruko right behind him.

Sasuke came to a complete standstill, causing Naruko to slam into him from behind, however the boy barely noticed.

His full attention was on the man sitting up in the hospital bed.

Onyx met onyx.

"Hello, little brother." Itachi spoke calmly, his face neutral.

"Itachi." Sasuke whispered, and Naruko stepped around him to get a good look at the man, her face full of curiosity.

The two continued to stare at each other in silence, both sizing the other up. They hadn't seen each other since he'd abandoned the village, all those years ago.

Slowly, Sasuke walked forward, and Itachi was unsure of what to expect.

Then, after finally reaching his bedside, Sasuke surprised the man. He leaned forward, reached out...

And _hugged_ him.

Itachi sat rigged for several seconds, and his eyes widened as he felt Sasuke begin to tremble.

Slowly, a fond smile overtook Itachi's features, and he wrapped his arms around his little brother too.

 _"You're home..."_ Sasuke whispered.

Itachi glanced towards the blonde haired girl over Sasuke's shoulder, and found her giving the two a teary eyed smile.

Itachi closed his eyes, and he tightened the hug.

 _"I'm home."_

* * *

 _August 1st, three days after the capture of Kane Sanguis..._

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

The waters of the Great Lake parted for him, and Pain felt the typical satisfaction he always felt when he used his power.

Slowly, he approached the wet, unmoving corpse, before staring down at it blankly.

"Konan." He said simply, and the girl of paper began materializing behind him.

"Yes, Pain?" She asked calmly.

"Take the body and get it healed, just like you've done with the others."

"Of course."

Pain glanced to his left as Zetsu began to grow from the Earth, the plant creature glancing at the parted waters of the Great Lake curiously for a moment.

"What is it?" Pain asked, not wanting to deal with the man right now.

 _"Kane Sanguis has awoken!"_

* * *

The quiet tapping of footsteps echoed across the halls as the masked man walked leisurely.

A figure began growing from out of the wall near him, and Zetsu's form looked at him with interest.

Tobi eyed Zetsu for a moment before facing forward once more.

"You're sure he's coherent?" Tobi asked.

Zetsu nodded before Black Zetsu spoke up, "He's completely fine. Those three days of sleep really seemed to rejuvenate him."

"And Pain?"

"He's been notified. He'll be here soon."

"Good." Tobi responded.

White Zetsu looked concerned, "What will you do with him?"

Tobi's eye narrowed dangerously.

"We're going to have a little chat."

* * *

End of Chapter 73.


	77. Chapter 74

_He glanced over as Zetsu began growing from the floor._

 _For some reason, the plant looked unsure of himself. Tobi wasn't sure if he'd ever seen such an odd look before._

 _"Well?" Tobi asked after several seconds of silence._

 _"Kane Sanguis has been captured..." White Zetsu spoke cautiously, and Tobi nodded._

 _"Good. We'll prepare to begin the extraction immediately."_

 _Once again, Zetsu looked doubtful, and Tobi's eye narrowed._

 _"Is there a problem?"_

 _White Zetsu kept quiet, and even Black Zetsu seemed hesitant for some reason._

 _Tobi continued to stare at the plant creature, his patience running thin._

 _"Well?"_

 _Black Zetsu spoke up, "Kane Sanguis is not a Jinchuriki."_

 _Silence._

 _Tobi's eye began spinning for the first time in years._

 _"Explain."_

* * *

 _"Explain."_

 _Pain stared in complete shock, although his face was a neutral mask._

 _Konan looked hesitant, "According to Zetsu, Kane Sanguis holds no biju within him... He's not a Jinchuriki."_

 _Pain felt like the world had suddenly been turned upside down._

 _'That's why the boy never used his biju! He doesn't even have one!'_

 _"How did this happen?! Zetsu said it was him!" Pain snapped at the woman uncharacteristically._

 _"I don't know. Zetsu doesn't know, either. We've been duped." Konan explained calmly, although there was a nervous hitch in her voice._

 _Pain pinched his nose in frustration._

 _Konan rubbed her arm nervously._

 _"Madara is not going to like this..." She whispered._

 _Pain only nodded in agreement._

* * *

 _August 1st, three days after the capture of Kane Sanguis..._

Tobi say in the chair calmly, his hands interlocked and his legs crossed in a relaxed position.

The man glanced over as Pain made his entrance, Konan right behind him, and Tobi gestured to the seats across from him.

"Have a seat."

The two calmly sat down, and the three descended into an uncomfortable silence.

"The boy has awoken." Tobi explained calmly, and Konan nodded in response.

"So we've heard." Pain said.

"What will you do with him, Madara?" Konan asked.

"That's not your concern. I've already decided _exactly_ what I'm going to do with him. Well, depending on what he says, that is." Tobi explained with a wave of his hand, and the two only nodded.

"So you're going to speak to him." Konan stated rather than asked.

" _We_ are going to speak to him." Tobi said as his eye narrowed on Pain.

Pain said nothing, purple meeting red, and Konan intervened once more.

"Is there a reason Pain needs to be there?" The blue haired woman asked calmly.

"You almost lost to Kane-kun." Tobi said matter-of-factly, his eye never leaving Pain.

The Rinnegan wielding path tensed, clearly not liking the words that left Tobi's mouth.

"But, you didn't." Tobi continued, "You won, and Kane-kun will recognize that. You're coming with me, so the boy doesn't try anything. You're going to keep him under control. The last thing we need is him going on another rampage, don't you think?"

Pain said nothing to that.

"Itachi is gone." Tobi said casually, and the other members tensed up at that.

"Gone where?" Konan asked.

"Where do you think?"

Pain closed his eyes in frustration, "So it would appear we have yet another traitor in the Akatsuki."

Tobi hummed, "Indeed. And yet, we've captured another as well."

The two men turned to face Konan, looking at her expectantly.

"How are Hidan and Karin faring, Konan?" Tobi asked casually, as if asking about an old acquaintance.

"They're fine. Hidan is quite restless, but rest assured that he's sufficiently subdued. The girl, Karin, isn't even tied up. She's quite obedient."

Tobi nodded, "The same cannot be said for Kane-kun. Zetsu has stressed to me that he won't be able to keep the boy under control for much longer. We're going to go deal with this, right now."

The masked leader stood up and motioned for Pain to follow, and Konan kept quiet as the two made their way out of the room.

* * *

The two men found themselves seated next to each other in a barely lit room, completely empty other than the large table and one empty chair on the opposite end.

 _'They'll be here any moment now.'_ Pain thought to himself.

They both glanced up as the door opened, and Zetsu walked in.

"We've arrived!" White Zetsu drawled in a happy voice, and the two watched as from behind the plant creature Kane walked in.

Tobi's eye narrowed, "The man of the hour."

Kane glared at Tobi for a moment, then his eyes locked onto Pain's.

The two said nothing as Kane glared hatefully at him, but there was something... Off, about the look Kane was giving him.

"Have a seat, Kane-kun." Tobi said as he gestured to the only empty seat in the room.

Kane scowled as he walked forward and sat down on the chair, his eyes darting between the two of them.

Zetsu looked towards Tobi for guidance, and the man waved him off.

"Leave us, Zetsu."

"Okayyy..." White Zetsu moaned, and the plant creature sunk into the ground before disappearing completely.

The three ninja sat in silence for several moments, Kane glaring heatedly at Pain as the two eyed him calmly.

"You've cause us a lot of problems, Kane-kun." Tobi drawled, and the boy's eyes snapped to him as he scowled.

"You're Deidara's partner. Or you were, before I killed him."

Tobi chuckled at that, and Pain wondered if the man had ever felt any kinship at all for the blonde haired Akatsuki member.

Doubtful.

"Yes, you've done quite a number on Akatsuki. Such a shame, though, that you couldn't defeat Pain, too."

Tobi was taunting him, Pain knew. What he didn't understand was _why_.

Kane's scowl deepened as he glanced at Pain for a moment.

"Why am I here?" He snapped.

"A good question. Why don't you tell me? _Why are you here, Kane Sanguis?"_ Tobi snapped, his Sharingan eye wide with fury, and for the first time Kane seemed to give the masked man his full attention.

Kane stared at him, eyeing him up and down for several long, drawn out moments.

Tobi continued on, pleased he had Kane's full attention.

"You aren't the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails." He stated simply, and Kane frowned but said nothing.

Pain eyed Tobi for a moment, wondering what his plan was.

"Congratulations, you figured it out." Kane said drily, and Tobi's eye narrowed in annoyance at Kane's condescension.

"So then who is?" Tobi asked, and Kane glared for a moment.

"How should I know?"

Tobi leaned back in his chair as he crossed his hands, seemingly pleased with the answer as he relaxed.

"I see. So you don't know."

"No." Kane scowled.

"But you know that you _don't_ have the Kyuubi."

"Obviously." Kane responded as if he were talking to a small child.

"Then why, Kane-kun, have you been attacking the Akatsuki?"

Kane tensed up, and Pain couldn't help but recognize the sight as the same posture the boy took when Kane first laid eyes on himself.

"Whether I had it or not, Akatsuki would come for me. My plan was to kill you off before you had the chance to do the same to me."

Tobi hummed at that.

"And yet, you've been captured, and you're still alive. Why do you think that is, Kane-kun?"

Kane glared at the masked man, "I don't know."

Tobi's eye narrowed, "You did a lot of damage to the Akatsuki, Kane-kun."

Kane once again eyed Tobi warily, "There's more to you than meets the eye. Who are you?"

Tobi leaned forward, "Who do you think I am?"

The three ninja fell into silence.

Kane glanced at Pain for only a moment before turning back to Tobi, "You're the real leader of the Akatsuki, aren't you?"

Tobi nodded, "Indeed."

"What do you want with me?" Kane asked again, and Tobi stared at him for several moments before answering.

"You've hurt the Akatsuki, killed many of our members, impeded our progress, turned several of our members traitor, and now I found out you've been taking us all for fools, too. What do _you_ think I should do about that, Kane-kun?"

Kane said nothing as his eyes narrowed.

Tobi glanced at Pain, and the man kept silent.

"The logical course of action would be to kill you." Tobi stated simply.

Pain saw it coming before the words even left Madara's mouth.

Kane's skin immediately turned red, and the boy launched himself across the table at straight at Tobi.

Pain didn't even move.

He knew he wouldn't have to.

Kane looked completely shocked as he found his fist flying straight through Tobi's body, and the man grabbed him by the neck before slamming him into a wall, his hold tightening and causing Kane to start choking.

Kane's eyes went wild with desperation as he began clawing at Tobi, and the man summarily _threw_ him across the room.

Slowly, Tobi walked back to his seat, sitting down as if nothing happened as Kane gasped for breath on the floor.

Pain hadn't even moved a muscle, simply watching.

Kane stood up as he glared hatefully at Tobi, and the masked leader calmly gestured back towards the chair Kane had thrown to the floor in his outburst.

 _"Sit."_ Tobi commanded.

Pain wasn't sure whether to be surprised or not when Kane obeyed.

"I know all about you, Kane Sanguis. About your clan. About your previous life in Konoha. About your struggle to defeat the Akatsuki. About your only ambition in life being to survive. _Everything."_

Kane gently rubbed his neck as he continued to glare hatefully at Tobi.

"You want to survive, Kane-kun? Then perhaps, you should stop acting so recklessly. You're out-manned right now, and your life is completely in my hands."

Kane withered slightly at that, but he continued to glare.

"Thankfully for you, I have no interest in killing you." Tobi stated simply, and Pain had to control his shock at the declaration.

 _'He's not going to kill him?'_

"You're not going to kill me?" Kane voiced Pain's thoughts out loud.

"Not unless you tempt me to." Tobi said as he narrowed his eye dangerously.

Kane looked annoyed at the words, but didn't respond as he glanced at Pain.

"So, what are you, then?" Kane asked Pain, and the man raised an eyebrow.

"You'll have to elaborate."

"Are you just some kind of puppet, then?" Kane asked, and Pain kept a stoic look on his face at the question.

"I am whatever Akatsuki needs me to be."

"A puppet, then."

Pain grit his teeth in annoyance.

Kane's eyes seemed to change, then, Pain noticed.

 _'That look in his eye...'_

It wasn't the same look as when they fought. It was... Different.

Lust. Desire. Envy. It was the look of a man staring down at a precious item that he'd been searching for his entire life.

It reminded Pain of how Orochimaru used to look at Itachi.

The thought sent revulsion through him.

"So where's the real you, then?" Kane asked, and Pain's eyes widened.

 _'How did he-'_

"Actually, I'm more curious about those eyes of yours." Kane said, snapping him from his thoughts.

Pain stared at him neutrally.

"Where'd you get the Rinnegan?" Kane asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

Pain raised an eyebrow, "It is my doujutsu. I unlocked it, when I was much younger."

Kane scoffed at that, "No, really, where'd you get it?"

He frowned in confusion, "What do you mean?"

The two stared at each other for several seconds, and then Kane sneered.

"That Rinnegan isn't natural; it's not yours. You stole it."

 _What?_

 _What the hell was this boy talking-_

"But fine. Don't tell me, then. I don't really care."

For some reason, it seemed as if the boy wasn't trying to convince Pain of that, but rather convince himself.

Kane turned back to face Tobi.

"You still haven't told me who you are." Kane stated simply, and Tobi stared at him for several seconds before answering.

 _"I am Uchiha Madara."_

 _Silence._

Kane narrowed his eyes, "Is that so?"

Tobi said nothing, staring back at Kane calmly.

Pain wondered sometimes, whether or not it was true.

 _Madara Uchiha._

Was Tobi really such a legend? Was he really the God of Shinobi himself? Pain would admit, at least to himself, that nobody in the world intimidated him like Tobi did. The man was crafty, and the man was strong.

But was he Madara?

Pain had his doubts.

"You're not Madara Uchiha." Kane denied, his face taking on a scowl.

Tobi said nothing, simply staring back at him with his one Sharingan eye.

"Madara Uchiha was the God of Shinobi, the strongest of the Uchiha clan... Only the First Hokage could defeat him in battle."

"Hashirama... Those days are long gone, but I will always think fondly of the only man to earn my respect." Tobi said whimsically.

Kane's scowl deepened, "Say what you like, but you know what I see?"

Tobi replied by gesturing for him to continue.

"I see a weak little man, attempting to use the name of someone far greater than themself, grasping at glory they will never truly reach."

Pain glanced at Tobi, wondering how the man would react to the words.

Tobi didn't so much as blink.

He didn't seem to care in the slightest.

"Do you know what Akatsuki's ultimate goal is, Kane-kun?"

Kane scowled at the sudden change in topic, "To collect the Nine Biju for whatever reason."

"I said _ultimate_ goal, Kane-kun."

Kane looked annoyed at the admission, but he shook his head.

 _"Peace."_ Tobi said as he stared into Kane's eyes.

Kane looked confused, "Peace?"

Tobi nodded, "Akatsuki wishes to end the struggles of the world. To do so, we need the power of the nine biju. We will bring true peace to the world, no matter the cost."

Kane glanced at Pain, and the man nodded in response.

"And how would collecting the biju lead to that?"

Tobi shook his head, "It doesn't matter. All you need to know, is that our ultimate goal is a just and righteous one."

Kane narrowed his eyes at that, "And why do I need to know that?"

Tobi threw his arms out, "Because I'd like for you to join us, Kane-kun."

He'd seen this coming a mile away. It made sense, for them to recruit Kane. He was strong; the strongest opponent he'd ever fought, in fact. Kane had almost won. Adding him to the ranks would nearly make up for all the damage the boy had done. He wasn't surprised that this was Tobi's plan.

Pain watched Kane closely, curious to see his reaction.

Kane glared at them, "You want me to join Akatsuki? The group that's been hunting me this entire time?"

Tobi narrowed his eye, "It seems to me it's been you that has been hunting us, Kane-kun."

Kane scowled at that.

"Besides," Tobi continued, "Akatsuki has no interest in you anymore. You don't have the Nine Tails, and so we have no need to pursue you further."

Kane seemed to relax at that.

"So why would I join you?"

"To bring peace to the world, Kane-kun."

Kane tapped his hand on the table, the two waiting for his response.

"You say to bring peace to the world... But I've yet to hear why I should join."

Pain's eyes narrowed at that.

"What do you mean, Kane-kun?" Tobi asked calmly.

"Why should I care about something like that?" Kane asked.

"You don't care about peace? About bringing in a new age of justice?" Pain jumped in for the first time, and Kane scoffed at him in response.

"Of course not."

Pain looked genuinely shocked, appalled even, at the boy's careless dismissal of his lifelong goal.

"What do you care about then, Kane-kun?" Tobi asked, clearly taking the news better than Pain.

"Myself." Kane stated simply.

"Yourself?" Pain asked as he began glaring at the boy.

"Yeah. Peace? Justice? A new era? I don't care about stuff like that. All I care about, is my own life and survival."

The way the boy spoke, as if he were speaking to toddlers...

Pain decided, then and there, that he hated this boy.

This boy who spat upon everything Pain had worked for, his entire life.

 _Everything Yahiko worked for._

"Well then, Kane-kun, allow Akatsuki to offer you its protection. Join us, and you will have a home here." Tobi stated simply.

Kane scoffed yet again, "And have the rest of the elemental nations breathing down my neck, hunting me?"

Tobi said nothing to that.

 _"No thanks. I reject your offer, completely."_

Pain stood up, the sound of the screeching chair drawing the attention of both men.

"Then you are of no use to us." Pain said as he slowly raised a hand towards the boy.

Kane shot up as well, his skin turning red as he prepared to fight.

Pain let out a little smirk as he stared at the non-Jinchuriki.

No rain, no water, no blood...

 _No hope._

 _He was going to enjoy this._

"Enough, Pain." Tobi announced, and the man faltered as he looked towards the masked man.

Pain hesitated at the look in Tobi's eye, and slowly he lowered his hand and sat back down.

Kane slowly followed suit, his skin returning to normal.

Tobi returned his attention to Kane.

"Well then, Kane-kun. If you won't join us, I suppose you're free to go."

 _What?_

Both Pain and Kane stared at the man in complete shock and confusion.

Pain was about to speak up, but a quick glance from the man silenced him.

He knew Madara would explain later.

He'd keep quiet, no matter how much it irked him.

"I'm... Free to go?" Kane asked cautiously.

Tobi nodded, "Of course. As I said, you are no longer Akatsuki's enemy. If you don't wish to join us, then by all means, we shall escort you out. All I ask, is you keep quiet about what you know of us."

 _Kami, Tobi had even admitted to being Madara Uchiha to the boy, and he was still going to let him walk away?!_

Kane said nothing as he glared lightly at the masked leader.

"Zetsu will lead you to a room. You may stay here for the night, and tomorrow I will escort you out personally."

Kane nodded slowly, and the door opened as Zetsu walked in.

"Perfect timing as always, Zetsu." Tobi stated, and the plant man nodded.

"What shall we do with him?" Black Zetsu asked.

"Take him to a spare room, tomorrow I will come for him."

"Okaaaay..." White Zetsu moaned.

Zetsu led the way, Kane right behind him, and the door closed with a resounding _slam._

* * *

End of Chapter 74


	78. Chapter 75

"Do you truly plan on letting the boy walk away?" Pain asked with a frown, and Tobi nodded.

"Of course. I'm a man of my word, after all."

Pain scowled, "Are you going to explain why?"

Tobi hummed at that, glancing at Pain for only a moment before growing lost in thought.

"In the best case scenario, Kane-kun would have joined the Akatsuki."

Pain raised an eyebrow, "But you didn't expect him to."

Tobi shook his head, "Of course not. I only tossed the idea out there just in case. Kane-kun has proven unpredictable in the past, after all."

"Then why let him walk away?"

Tobi stood up slowly as he began pacing across the room, his hands behind his back.

"We had three options on what to do with him. First, we kill him. That would tie up any loose ends regarding the boy, sure, but that's such a waste, don't you think?"

Pain said nothing as he continued watching the man pace.

"Second, we keep him locked up in here as a prisoner."

Tobi seemed to tense, and Pain frowned.

The man was hiding something.

"That's not an option." Tobi stated simply.

"And why is that?" Pain asked.

"It doesn't concern you. Just know, keeping Kane-kun locked up here was not a choice I was willing to make."

Pain nodded, not really caring one way or the other about the mans reasonings.

"The third option, was to simply let him go."

Pain frowned, "And in what way does that possibly benefit us?"

Tobi chuckled lowly, "It can help more than you realize. I have plans for Kane-kun, but really, as of right now I have no use for the boy if he won't join Akatsuki. Let him roam free. It's excellent insurance, after all."

Pain raised an eyebrow, "Insurance?"

Tobi stopped pacing as he took his seat once more, nodding at Pain, "Indeed. Whether Kane-kun wants to or not, he will help us capture the Nine Tails Jinchuriki, if all else fails."

"The boy said he didn't know who the Jinchuriki was." Pain pointed out.

 _"Exactly."_ Tobi said as his eye narrowed.

"Explain." He demanded.

"I don't believe, not for one second, that Kane-kun isn't fully aware of the true identity of the Nine Tails Jinchuriki. I had a sneaking suspicion as to who the real host was, and Kane-kun confirmed it."

"How?"

Pain could tell by the odd look in his eye that Madara was smiling.

"There are only two people in the world I can think of that Kane-kun would refuse to give us any information about... And one of them is Sasuke Uchiha."

Pain frowned, "Uchiha?"

"His teammate. Or teammates, I should say... The other is Naruko Namikaze, the Fourth's daughter."

"You think Konoha would make an Uchiha the host?"

"No, I _don't._ We can reasonably rule out Sasuke-kun as the host of the Nine Tails...Which leaves only one other option; Naruko Namikaze."

Pain's eyes widened as everything seemed to click in place.

"I see."

Tobi nodded, "At the very minimum, letting Kane-kun roam around free could draw Naruko out of hiding. The girl has been chasing after him for years now. Then, we can strike... Assuming nothing else works, of course."

"Then why not just tell Konoha we have him? And that we kept him alive, too?"

"Because Konoha wouldn't let her come, and I doubt she'd even bother if we couldn't prove the boy still lived... Killing Kane-kun is not an option, and like I said, I won't keep him locked up here."

"So we let him roam free, on the off chance the girl chases after him?"

Tobi's eye seemed to be filled with complete joy, "If it makes you feel any better, think of it as a gift to Kane-kun."

"A gift?" Pain frowned.

"For a job well done for the Akatsuki, whether it was intentional or not."

Pain's eyebrows furrowed, "In what way has the boy possibly helped us?"

Tobi hummed again.

"Itachi has returned to Konoha, and Jiraiya should be there right now as well. The Nine Tailed Fox being imprisoned inside the daughter of the Fourth, Itachi Uchiha, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and even the Fourth Hokage himself... Konoha has never been stronger. This is, perhaps, the strongest Konoha has ever been since its founding."

Pain nodded in agreement, "Your point?"

Tobi leaned forward, "Despite this, Jiraiya and Itachi should both be out of commission right now. Kane-kun has _crippled_ them, and we're going to take advantage of that."

"How?"

Tobi stood and motioned for Pain to follow.

* * *

"Who is this?" Pain asked with a frown, a young man trembling as he stared up at them. His hands were tied behind his back and his mouth was taped shut, and he glared up at the two of them defiantly.

"We discovered the identity of one of Jiraiya's agents. _This,"_ He said motioning towards the man with one hand, "Is that agent."

Pain nodded, and Tobi slowly closed the door again, preventing the man from hearing the rest of the conversation.

"What will you do with him?"

"I'm going to let him go, all I need him to do is do a little favor for me..."

"Being?" Pain asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I want him to tell Jiraiya everything he knows... _Everything._ "

Pain frowned, "How will that help us?"

Tobi chuckled, "Because... He's going to tell Jiraiya not where I am, he doesn't actually know that, but rather he's going to tell Jiraiya where _I'm going."_

Pain waited patiently for him to continue.

"He's going to tell Jiraiya that I'm going to Fire Country."

* * *

Itachi glanced at Jiraiya for a moment, then at Sasuke and Naruko.

He'd probably prefer if he didn't have an audience for this little reunion, but beggers can't be choosers.

"Hello, mother. Father." Itachi spoke calmly from the hospital bed, as Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha approached him.

Fugaku stared down at him after coming to a stop at his bedside.

The man nodded approvingly, "Itachi."

Mikoto threw her arms around her eldest son's neck and squeezed him in a tight hug.

"Welcome home, Itachi-kun..." She whispered.

Itachi slowly returned the hug as his eyes never left his fathers.

"We've been informed of the truth behind your abandonment of the village, as well as your... Situation, regarding why you've returned."

Itachi nodded as his mother slowly released him.

"It would seem I'm not the only one who had a rough encounter with Kane-kun." Itachi noted as he glanced at Fugaku's missing eye.

Naruko and Sasuke both tensed at that, but Fugaku only nodded.

"The boy gets around."

Mikoto put her hands on her hips, a determined expression on her face, "As soon as you're healed, you're coming home, Itachi-kun! Understood?"

Itachi nodded with a small smile, "Yes, mother. Although, I don't expect to walk out of this hospital room."

Sasuke stepped forward with a scowl at that, "Don't say that. We're going to get you fixed up."

Itachi didn't comment.

Naruko stepped forward too, "She should be here within the next day or two."

Itachi furrowed his eyebrows at that, "Who?"

Sasuke smirked, "The one person in the world who might be able to heal you."

Itachi's eyes widened.

* * *

Slowly, two figures could be seen in the middle of an open field, and the sight of Tobi and Kane appeared.

Kane turned to glance at the man, and raised an eyebrow.

"And my team?"

Tobi stared at him for a moment, and then Kane watched as the air around Tobi seemed to spiral, and Karin Uzumaki came flying out of the air with a loud yelp as she landed on her hands and knees.

"Ouch..." Karin whispered as she glanced up and gasped at the sight of Kane.

The redhead quickly stood up and sprinted over to him, eager to put him between the masked man and herself.

Kane raised an eyebrow at Tobi.

"And the other one?"

Tobi's eye narrowed dangerously.

"Hidan is a traitor to the Akatsuki, and will be dealt with as such. He's no longer your concern."

Kane said nothing, merely staring at the man, and the two seemed to communicate with their eyes as Karin looked on anxiously.

"We found this, by the way." Tobi mentioned off handedly as he pulled a backpack from seemingly nowhere, and Kane's eyes widened in surprise.

He thought it'd been lost forever in the chaos of his fight with Pain.

Kane snatched the backpack from Tobi's outstretched arm harshly, staring at the man blankly.

Then, Kane turned around, and began walking away.

Karin glanced at him in shock before quickly keeping pace with him.

"Oh, and one more thing." Tobi called out, and Kane glared over his shoulder at the man.

Tobi and Kane stared at each other once again in silence for a while, until Tobi finally continued.

"Keep what you know about the Akatsuki to yourself."

It wasn't a request, this time. It was a threat. Kane grit his teeth before snarling at the man and continuing on his way.

Karin quickly tugged on his arm as she kept glancing back at Tobi, the masked man watching them walk away.

"Kane!" She whispered hotly, "I don't like the guy either, but are we really just leaving Hidan behind?"

Kane didn't even glance at the girl as he continued glaring straight ahead, "If sacrificing Hidan to the Akatsuki means that the Akatsuki is no longer a threat to me, then I'll gladly do so."

Karin tensed, clearly not approving of his words, but she kept quiet as she watched Tobi teleport away.

Then, she glared heatedly at Kane.

"Would you have done the same if it were me, then?"

Kane's head snapped to face the girls as he scowled at her.

They stared at each other, neither willing to back down, and then without a word Kane huffed as he face forward once again, clearly done talking about the topic.

Karin sighed quietly as she glanced back at where Tobi once stood.

* * *

"Where are Shisui's eyes, Itachi?" Fugaku asked, straightforward.

"Gone." Itachi replied in a clipped tone.

"Gone?" Fugaku raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"They've been destroyed. Forever." Itachi stated with a blank look on his face.

Fugaku mirrored the look.

"Do not lie to me, Itachi. Where are they?"

"As I said, they are gone. I do not have them, and you should not concern yourself with them any longer."

Fugaku frowned as he sighed in exasperation with a shake of the head.

Mikoto put a hand on both men's shoulders, "Let's not get into this so soon. Itachi just got home." She said with a pointed look at her husband.

Fugaku nodded as he rubbed the back of his head, "Of course."

Mikoto caressed Itachi's cheek fondly, "Welcome home, Itachi-kun."

Itachi let out a small smile at that.

* * *

Minato looked up in complete shock as Jiraiya hobbled into his office, the Sannin wincing with every step he took.

"Jiraiya-sensei! You shouldn't be up! What are you doing out of bed?!" Minato gasped as he was quickly by the man's side, shouldering him.

"You need to read this." Jiraiya said as he handed Minato a missive.

The man frowned as he helped Jiraiya take a seat before opening the message.

His eyes widened at what he read, and he looked towards the white haired man for confirmation.

Jiraiya nodded, a serious look on his face.

"The masked man you fought all those years ago, he's the leader of the Akatsuki, just like I suspected. Not only that, but he might very well be _the_ Madara Uchiha."

Minato gripped the paper tightly in his hand as he glared at it, his arms trembling in fury.

Jiraiya stared at his pupil with a calculating look.

 _"And he's here in Fire Country."_

* * *

Karin frowned at the fire pit as the two of them kept quiet.

They'd been walking all day before making camp, and when she pestered him about where they were going, he wouldn't answer.

She was pretty sure he had no clue.

The girl sighed to herself quietly.

 _'Something's up with him. He looks so troubled, but he won't tell me what's on his mind... With Akatsuki out of the picture, what the hell are we supposed to do now?'_

"So..." Karin said, breaking the silence, and Kane glanced at the girl.

"Now that Akatsuki's gone, will you return to Konoha?"

Kane didn't so much as blink, merely staring at her.

Karin fidgeted slightly, "I mean, it's not like you have anything else to do now, or anywhere else to go... Maybe it's time to return to Konoha, like I've been saying from the beginning."

Kane said nothing as he turned to stare back into the fire.

Karin grew annoyed at his lack of response, "Hey! Don't ignore me! At the very least, you need to tell me what's going on in that thick skull of yours. What are you thinking?"

"You wouldn't understand." Kane snapped, and the girl recoiled in surprise at the hostility in his voice.

"What wouldn't I understand? How you don't want to go back to Konoha because you hated it there? I get that, but where else would-"

"Not that." Kane snapped again, and the girl looked confused.

"What wouldn't I understand, then?"

Kane ignored her, and Karin frowned.

 _'Why do I get the feeling that things aren't less complicated now, but rather even more so?'_

* * *

"So, you're going." Jiraiya stated, and Minato frowned at his sensei.

"Why are you out of bed again? You need to let yourself heal, Jiraiya-sensei."

Jiraiya waved him off before glancing yet again at the backpack he wore.

"You should just send a team to find out what they can. An Anbu group perhaps."

Minato frowned before shaking his head, "You didn't see the masked man, Jiraiya-sensei. He's one of the strongest opponents I've ever faced, and I'm the only one who can confirm it's really him. I need to go and see in person."

Jiraiya nodded, although he didn't look like he liked the idea very much, "Who will you leave in charge while you're gone?"

"Kakashi Hatake. He's done it before in my absence."

"And who are you taking with you?"

Minato gave his old sensei a cheeky grin, "Why, Jiraiya-sensei, are you mothering me right now?"

Jiraiya gained a tick mark on his forhead as he shook his fist at him, "Shutup you damned brat! Somebody has to make sure you don't go around making numbskull decisions!"

"But Jiraiya-sensei, aren't I usually the one stopping _you_ from getting into trouble?"

Jiraiya crossed his arms and began pouting, "Hmph. Stupid kid."

Minato walked over and put his hand on Jiraiya's shoulder, "Come on, I'll take you back to the hospital."

Jiraiya frowned in concern, "Minato."

Minato stared at the man as both became serious.

"Be careful."

Minato nodded, and the two disappeared in a flash of yellow.

* * *

Karin sighed loudly.

"Look, we can't just keep wandering out like this. You need to at the very least decide where we're going."

Kane said nothing, and the girl frowned at him.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Kane glanced at her momentarily before ignoring her once more.

Karin frowned in concern.

"Look, I'm... I'm worried about you, Kane. You've been acting strange ever since they let us go. Talk to me."

Kane ignored her again, and she glared at him in frustration.

"Fine! If you don't-"

The girl froze mid-rant, and Kane turned to look at her in confusion.

 _"Someone's coming."_

* * *

Minato looked at the group of six Anbu Shinobi that would be escorting him.

Overkill, perhaps, but he'd take no chances with the masked man.

Minato turned around to find himself face to face with Kakashi, Naruko and Sasuke.

"I know I can trust you with everything while I'm gone." Minato said with a wide grin, and Kakashi nodded.

"Of course, Sensei."

Naruko frowned before walking closer, "I don't like that you're leaving right now. Things are... Difficult, as it is."

Minato frowned at his daughter before walking up to her and wrapping her into a tight hug.

"You're strong, Naru-chan. Far stronger than your father. I know you can handle it."

Naruko nodded into his chest as she wrapped her arms around him as well.

"I love you, dad."

Minato smiled fondly as he kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too."

He reluctantly let the girl go as he stepped back and gave the signal.

Then, the seven ninja were gone.

* * *

Kane glared at the cloaked figure in front of them as he prepared for a fight.

"Who are you?"

The figure chuckled.

"Is that any way to greet an old friend, Kane-kun?"

Kane's eyes widened as he recognized the voice.

 _"Kabuto?"_

The man slowly removed his hood, and Kane and Karin both recoiled at the sight of the medic ninja.

 _"Oh my god..."_ Karin whispered in horror.

Kane stared at the medic's one visible eye in horror, his other eye covered and concealed by cloth.

The eye of Orochimaru.

He felt sick to his stomach.

No, he _really_ felt sick.

Kane grabbed at his chest in pain as he doubled over, and Karin gasped as he began choking.

"Kane! Are you alright?!"

Kane began hyperventilating, and then fell to his hands and knees as if he were about to puke.

And puke he did.

Only, it wasn't vomit that came out.

 _ **'Caw!'**_

Both Karin and Kabuto watched in shock as Kane spat up a huge black crow, the crow jumping onto the ground and staring up at Kabuto as Kane began gasping for breath.

Kabuto's lone eye widened.

 _"That's...!"_

The crow stared up at Kabuto with two Sharingan eyes, its right eye spinning.

Kabuto gripped his head in pain as he cried out, falling to the ground.

 _ **'Caw! Caw! Caw!'**_

The crow began screeching and flapping its wings in outrage as it took to the skies, flying away.

Karin stared after the crow, wondering _what the hell just happened._

Kane slowly managed to get a grip on himself as he stood up, panting with one hand on one knee as he stared at Kabuto's downed form.

The two said nothing, merely watching the unmoving form for several long, drawn out moments in silence.

Then, Kabuto's form shook slightly as he chuckled.

Kane and Karin both tensed as they watched Kabuto slowly rise up to his feet once again.

Kabuto stared at the two of them, a vicious, gleeful look on his face.

"You were so close, Itachi-kun... So, so close..."

Kane's eyes narrowed as he stood up fully.

Kabuto chuckled at his tense stance, "There's no need to be afraid, Kane-kun. I'm not your enemy."

Kane continued glaring as Karin spoke up, "What the hell was that? _All_ of that?!"

Kabuto chuckled again, "I don't know why Kane-kun had it, but I have a sneaking suspicion Itachi Uchiha saw this meeting coming."

Kane frowned, "Explain."

"Kotoamatsukami. The strongest Genjutsu in the world... It is said to be able to make the opponent obey any command willingly, and its strength is due to its subtlety. The victim doesn't even realize they've been put in a Genjutsu..."

Kane and Karin both looked shocked at such a power.

"That crow held the eyes of Shisui Uchiha, the only eyes in the world with such power. It would appear Itachi-kun planted them within you, Kane-kun, in an attempt to bind me with the Kotoamatsukami."

Kane scowled at that.

He didn't like being used.

Kabuto chuckled lowly.

"Unfortunately, it would seem luck is on my side... He didn't know I had this, and in fact, I hadn't ever really planned on having it to begin with. Perhaps Kami favors me."

Slowly, Kabuto began unraveling the cloth around his left eye, and Kane and Karin both stared in shock and horror as they found themselves looking into a pure, white eye.

The eye of the Byakugan.

"Thankfully, my new eye revealed to me exactly what Itachi-kun was trying to do... The Byakugan, one of the only known ways of discovering when one tries to put you in the Kotoamatsukami."

Kabuto laughed loudly at that.

"To think, Itachi-kun nearly stopped what was to come! Truly, the man is a genius!"

Kane glared at the laughing medic ninja.

"Kabuto, what the hell have you done to yourself?"

Kabuto smiled in delight as he stopped laughing, "Do you like it, Kane-kun? Orochimaru's cells have been implanted into my body..."

Kane sneered in absolute disgust, "You're a monster."

"Hurtful."

"What the hell do you want, Kabuto? Why are you here?"

Kabuto gave a dark, vicious smile at that.

"I've come with a gift for you, Kane-kun."

The man performed several handsigns, and Kane and Karin both took a step back as a coffin began growing from the ground.

"What the hell?!" Karin screamed.

Kane stared as slowly, the door to the coffin fell open, revealing the body inside.

His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in shock at what he saw.

Kabuto chuckled as he stepped around the coffin to come within eyesight again.

"Kane-kun... I'd like to introduce you to the corpse of someone you've never met."

Kane shook his head in complete disbelief, knowing exactly who the man was.

"Kane?" Karin asked in fear.

Kabuto smiled darkly.

"Kane-kun, I'd like to introduce you to _Braenaru Sanguis. Your Father."_

* * *

Minato held up his hand in a signal, and the Anbu behind him stopped.

The seven were completely silent, and Minato glared at the back of the man in the trees across from them.

At the back of the cloak of the Akatsuki.

"So, you came." The voice cut through the air, and Minato shivered at the disgusting familiarty of it.

 _'It's him...'_

"So, I've come." Minato repeated with a nod.

Tobi turned to face Minato, his one Sharingan eye taking in the sight.

"Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage, Yellow Flash of Konoha, and supposedly the strongest Shinobi in the world."

Minato glared harshly at the man responsible for the death of his wife.

Tobi chuckled as he glanced at the Anbu that were suddenly surrounding him.

"You know, seven on one doesn't seem fair. We should even up the odds."

Minato tensed at that.

Tobi stared at Minato in glee.

"I knew you'd come here, Yellow Flash. I knew you couldn't resist showing up when you heard it was me. I'd like to introduce you to someone... Someone who would like to contest your title as 'The Strongest Shinobi'."

Minato felt it, as did his Anbu. The seven glanced around as they soon found six other ninja surrounding _them._

Minato stared up into purple eyes.

"It's great to finally meet you, Fourth Hokage." Pain spoke calmly.

Tobi looked on in absolute delight.

"Shall we begin?"

* * *

End of Chapter 75


	79. Chapter 76

Minato glanced between each set of Rinnegan eyes, debating his options.

"Stand back, I'll handle this!" Minato announced as he reached into his pouch and pulled out a large amount of his signature kunai.

Minato launched them through the air across the landscape, and Pain stuck his hand out in response.

 _"Bansho Tenin!"_

Each of the kunai changed course before flying towards the Yahiko look-alike, and Minato narrowed his eyes.

 _'So that's the push and pull power Jiraiya-sensei spoke of.'_

Minato was about to teleport to one of the kunai as they neared the Pain, but he hesitated as a hand reached out and snatched the entire group right before they reached Pain.

Tobi stared down at Minato before waving the kunais back and forth, mockingly.

"These are the source of your famous _Flying Raijin._ I wonder, Fourth Hokage, what you'll do without them?"

Minato frowned as he watched Tobi open up a strange portal, his kunai being sucked in before disappearing completely.

 _'I can't teleport to those kunai anymore... It's been a long time since I've seen that powerful jutsu of his.'_

Minato made sure to keep his eyes from straying towards his pouch, lest he give himself away.

It was a good thing he hadn't thrown all of his kunai.

The only female Pain quickly threw her hands onto the tree stump.

 _"Summoning Jutsu!"_

The group watched as a giant crustacean with several Chakra receivers appeared from the smoke.

Minato glanced over his shoulder with narrowed eyes as the Asura path aimed several rockets at them.

 _"Here they come!"_ Minato whispered, and several Anbu nodded in response as they all prepared themselves.

Minato put his hand on one Anbu's shoulder before throwing himself up towards Tobi and the Deva path.

Tobi jumped towards Minato as well, meeting him halfway, and Minato quickly slashed at the man with a regular kunai, watching as the blade passed through the man's head.

As the two flew through each other, Minato glared into Tobi's eye.

Minato knew then, just from that moment of eye contact, that Tobi had changed.

He wasn't the same masked ninja he fought all those years ago.

 _No, he was even more dangerous now._

As the rockets from the Asura path exploded, the six Anbu scattered, and one Anbu glanced up in surprise as he found himself face-to-face with the Human path.

Minato glanced forward just in time to find Pain about to grab him by the neck, the man having jumped immediately after Tobi and hidden behind his body.

Just before Pain grabbed Minato, the man disappeared in a flash of yellow, appearing over the shoulder of the Anbu in front of the Human path.

All six Pain's eyes widened, as Minato slammed a large ball of blue into the Human path.

 _"Rasengan!"_

The Human path was sent careening through several trees, and both Minato and the Anbu whipped out kunais and blocked respective sharp chains from slicing into their bodies, courtesy of Tobi.

The two hopped away as Tobi landed on the surface, Pain right beside him.

"I see you haven't lost your touch, Yondaime. Placing your seal on the Anbu's shoulder before charging at me... Impressive." Tobi praised.

Minato glanced over and watched as the giant crustacean began screeching, its head exploding before two Anbu jumped out from inside its mouth.

The six Anbu quickly took defensive positions around Minato, prepared to fight once more.

"But, will it be enough this time? It certainly wasn't enough to save your precious Kushina." Tobi said with a dark chuckle, and Minato grit his teeth.

Pain stuck one hand out, pointed right towards the Anbu with Minato's seal on him.

 _"Bansho Tenin!"_

The six tensed as they watched the Anbu fly towards Pain.

Two Anbu sprinted off into separate directions, both launching giant fireballs around their desperate comrade and towards Pain.

Another Pain, the Preta path, landed in front of the Deva path and began absorbing the fireballs, the Deva paths arm outstretched directly above the Preta paths right shoulder as a large Chakra rod began flying out for use.

The group tensed as they watched the Anbu fly directly into the Chakra rod, impaling himself.

"Oh, look... You've failed again." Tobi said as his eye narrowed dangerously.

The five Anbu and Hokage scattered as a barrage of missiles exploded where they once stood, and Tobi watched on as a single kunai flew from out of the dust and went through his body.

As it was flying through him, Tobi glanced down at it, and his eyes widened.

 _That was no regular kunai!_

Tobi turned around as Minato suddenly appeared, another Rasengan in hand, and the man launched it forward.

Only, he wasn't aiming for Tobi.

Tobi began sinking into the ground, knowing what was coming.

Pain never even glanced behind himself, seeing the entire debacle through one of the other paths eyes.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

Minato's eyes widened as he was flung away, his Rasengan dissipating.

The blonde quickly flipped in mid air and landed on both feet, another one of his tri-pronged kunai in his hand, and he calmly tossed it into the air as he stared up into the eyes of a giant, orange tinted centipede.

The beast roared as it attempted to consume him, and Minato quickly teleported to his kunai as he landed atop the centipede, quickly planting another one of his seals on the creatures back before jumping away.

Minato glanced to his left, watching as an Anbu was sliced across the throat by Tobi.

He glanced to his right, watching as two Anbu encased the Asura path within two giant earth walls, crushing it.

Then, he glanced forward, and his eyes narrowed as he found himself facing the sight of a giant Rhino charging him.

 _'I need to do something about these summons!'_

Minato noticed the Animal path standing some ways behind the rhino, and he quickly began charging a huge Rasengan.

 _'That one uses the Summoning Jutsu. I need to take it out next!'_

He slammed the jutsu into the charging rhino, the beast roaring in pain as it was launched backwards and directly towards the Animal path.

The Animal path jumped out of the way as the rhino flew passed her, and she glanced over as she found Minato right in front of her, a tri pronged kunai casually floating in the air above them.

Minato attempted to grab the girl, but soon found his body flying _away_ from her.

 _"Bansho Tenin!"_ The Deva path called out as Minato found himself being dragged towards him.

Minato calmly watched as the Preta path jumped in the way, a Chakra rod in hand, and attempted to stab him.

Right before the rod hit him, Minato disappeared

The Animal path's eyes widened as Minato appeared at the kunai above her, the effects of the Bansho Tenin lost.

Minato grabbed the girl's shoulder before flipping, dragging her over his body, and slamming her into the earth.

She coughed out blood as Minato caught the falling tri pronged kunai, and the blonde Hokage proceeded to cut her throat, silencing her.

Minato turned around, only to find Tobi on top of him, the masked man attempting to cut him in half with one of his huge, sharp chains.

Minato disappeared in a flash of yellow, landing on top of the giant centipede, right before the beast disappeared in a puff of smoke due to the Animal path being defeated.

He glanced down as he watched the Preta path slam another Anbu into the dirt, and he threw another kunai at the path before teleporting and kicking the Pain off of the Anbu.

He grimaced as he realized he was too late, the Anbu already dead.

Minato glanced around, his face growing even more troubled as he realized there were only two Anbu remaining.

 _'One of these Pain's can reanimate the others! I can't let that happen!'_

His eyes narrowed in on the only Pain to have yet to showcase their abilities.

 _'That's the one...'_

The two Anbu landed at both of his sides, and they watched as Tobi and the three remaining Pains surrounded them once more.

"Come now, show us something a bit more interesting... Surely this isn't all the strongest Shinobi in the world has to offer." Tobi said as his eye narrowed, challenging.

The Deva path walked forward, clearly intent on getting serious, and stared him down.

Minato tensed.

* * *

"Ugh, I get it brat, shut the hell up."

Sasuke scowled at the blonde haired Sannin.

"If you get it, then go heal him already!"

"Look, brat, I traveled all the way out here on short notice because of some Missing Ninja that needs to be treated. The last thing I need is some stupid kid pestering me the entire time, too!" Tsunade snapped.

Shizune looked troubled, not really knowing what she should do.

Naruko decided to butt in.

"Hey!" Naruko snapped, and Tsunade turned to her goddaughter, one eyebrow raised, "I know he's a bastard, but he's right! Itachi needs your help, and he deserves it! Please help him!"

Tsunade sighed, "Fine. Someone _else_ is going to have to go tell Kakashi where I'm going then, since the two of you refuse to let me go inform him I've arrived."

Sasuke looked hesitant, and Naruko noticed.

"Don't worry, bastard, you show Grandma Tsunade the way, I'll go tell Kakashi!"

Sasuke gave her a soft smile as the two completely ignored the woman's protests at the nickname, "Thanks, Naruko."

Naruko gave him a huge grin in return, "No problem. Now get going, bastard!"

* * *

Sasuke scowled as the woman practically launched him backwards several feet, the young Uchiha's back hitting the wall, with a single flick on the forehead.

"You stay here, where you're out of my way and, more importantly, out of my hair."

Sasuke glared at the woman but said nothing.

As long as she helped Itachi.

"You better heal him." Sasuke growled lowly, and Tsunade growled right back.

"Shut the hell up, brat. You have no idea who you're talking to."

Tsunade whirled around as she began stomping off down the halls of the hospital.

Shizune gave the boy a shaky smile as she began passing him, Tonton hugged tightly into her chest.

"Sorry about that! She'll do her best, you can count on it!"

The little pig seemed to squeal as if agreeing with his owners words, and the strange duo took off after the blonde ball of death.

Sasuke sighed as he ran a hand down his face.

To think, he was putting up with such a woman...

 _'After you're healed, you owe me one, elder brother.'_

* * *

Tsunade _threw_ the doors to the hospital room open, the doctor inside nearly jumping out of his skin in fright.

The man gasped and quickly began bowing profusely.

"Tsunade-sama! It is such an honor to-"

"Get the hell out!" Tsunade snapped, in no mood to deal with the man.

The man was quick to run out of the room, and the blonde turned to the two patients sitting in hospital beds.

Jiraiya gave his old teammate a huge grin.

"Ahh! Tsunade-chan! You're as beautiful as-"

The man never got to tell her what she was as beautiful as, because the woman slammed her fist onto the top of his head like a mallet, knocking him unconscious.

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the display.

Tsunade turned to him and huffed.

"Now he won't annoy me while I deal with you."

Itachi said nothing to that, and Tsunade walked forward as she screamed at the top of her lungs.

 _"Shizune! Gloves, now!"_

* * *

Minato frowned as he huffed, watching the last remaining Anbu fall to the ground with a loud _**'thunk!'.**_

He was on his own, now.

 _'This guy's the fastest opponent I've faced since the time I fought A, before either of us became Kage...'_

Pain cracked his neck.

"Shall we continue?"

Minato glanced at Tobi for a moment, the masked man pulling his chains out from the Anbu's neck.

 _'I'm almost out of kunai... And now, I'm on my own. Madara, or whoever he is, will kill me the moment he sees an opening. I need to end this fast!'_

Minato leaned down, placing one palm on the ground and a kunai between his teeth as he prepared for Pain's assault once again.

The Rinnegan wielding ninja launched himself at Minato, and the blonde tossed another kunai into the air as he teleported to it, a Rasengan in hand as Pain flew below him.

 _"Rasen-"_

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

Minato was launched away as Pain threw both arms out.

The purple eyed man suddenly snapped his attention downwards, as he stared in shock at the blue eyes of the Hokage.

Minato smirked up at Pain from directly below him, both within arms reach of each other.

Pain glanced at the seal that was situated precariously in the dirt.

 _'He placed a seal right before I charged him.'_ Pain realized.

 _'Four!'_ Minato thought to himself.

"It hasn't been five seconds yet!" Minato spoke calmly, and Pain's eyes widened even further, if it were even possible.

 _'He's figured it out!'_

Minato thrust the Rasengan still in his right arm up towards Pain.

He continued to smirk, keeping track of the countdown in his head.

 _'Three!'_

 _"Rasengan!"_

Then, the blonde grimaced as he sensed that the other Pain would reach the Deva path in time.

The Preta path appeared behind the Deva path, throwing both arms around the Deva path's stomach as if to give a behind the back hug, and absorbed the Rasengan immediately before the jutsu hit Pain in the stomach.

 _'Two!'_

Pain stared down calmly at Minato as twin Chakra rods flew out into both outstretched arms, and the man quickly swung the two weapons down at the blonde Hokage.

Minato jumped up towards Pain with a frontflip as he narrowly avoided both weapons, glaring down at the man from directly above.

He threw one arm up towards the sky, as a giant red ball of fire appeared in his hand.

 _'One!'_

 _"Flaming Rasengan!"_ Minato yelled out as he thrust the giant Rasengan infused with Fire Nature Chakra towards Pain.

The jutsu grew to within _inches_ of connecting, the heat of the jutsu burning the man ever so slightly.

Pain's eyes widened as the clock hit zero.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

Minato was flung back once again.

And he teleported to the very same seal, once again.

This time, Pain was ready.

The Deva path swung both Chakra rods at the blonde haired Hokage, and Minato avoided them both with several backflips.

Pain launched himself at Minato, and the man grimaced as he was forced to teleport to the very same seal for a third time.

He turned around as he sensed Tobi directly behind him, and he ducked as the man swiped over his head.

Minato pulled out his very last tri pronged kunai and thrust it forward, watching with distaste as it expectedly flew through Tobi's body.

He quickly threw the kunai far away as he turned and threw up a block, barely managing to deflect a punch from Pain.

Pain's eyes narrowed as Minato quickly teleported to the flying kunai, grabbing it and doing another series of flips before landing perfectly, once again set in a battle stance.

Minato panted as he glanced between Tobi and Pain.

Pain relaxed his stance as he stared Minato down.

"You truly deserve your title as the strongest Shinobi. Unfortunately for you, _I'm stronger."_

Minato grimaced as he watched a giant tongue spit out from a strange face some ways away, the tongue wrapping around the Asura path before dragging the path into its mouth.

 _'They've just been slowly tiring me out... I'm too tired to stop him from reviving the other ones, not while I've got these two on my back!'_

The tongue spit out again, repeating the process with the Animal path.

 _'I can't teleport back to Konoha, I'm too far away... I could try running, but I don't think I can outpace this Pain...'_

The tongue repeated the procedure with the final path, the Human path.

 _'Heh... Looks like I'm out of options...'_

"You know," Tobi called out, and Minato glanced at the masked man, "All those years ago, you placed one of those annoying seals on my body... Do you know how much it hurt to get those damned seals off? You should be more considerate."

Minato grimaced as the giant face opened its mouth, the remaining paths walking out calmly and coming to stand by the others.

 _Seven on One._

"Why are you doing this? What are you after?" Minato asked calmly.

Tobi's eye narrowed, "It's none of your concern. After all, you won't be alive to see it."

The Deva path stuck his hand out.

 _"Bansho Tenin!"_

As Minato found his body flying towards the group of enemies, he tossed the kunai into the air once again.

Tobi disappeared, and Minato grimaced as he could sense the masked man appear near his floating kunai, waiting for him to teleport to it.

Instead, Minato charged up another giant ball of blue, thrusting it towards Pain as he grew close.

 _"Rasengan!"_

Only to frown as the Preta path absorbed the jutsu yet again.

Minato quickly kicked off of the Pain to get some distance before biting his thumb and performing several handsigns.

 _"Summoning Jut-"_

Minato gasped in pain as he found a fist slamming into his side, and he glanced down only to find a detached appendage flying through the air before returning back to the Asura path.

The blonde rolled across the ground before coming to a halt as a hand grabbed his neck, causing the man to cough out blood.

Minato stared up into the purple eyes of Pain, the Deva path staring down at him neutrally.

"I will bring peace to this world, Yondaime Hokage. You can count on that."

Minato stared up at him for several long, drawn out seconds in silence.

Then, he chuckled.

Pain raised an eyebrow at the man as Minato smiled a dazzling smile up at him.

"I don't know what your plans are, I don't believe for a second you plan on making some sort of 'weapon', but if peace truly is your goal... There's no need."

Pain frowned in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Minato continued to smile that brilliant smile, "I mean there's no need for you to try so hard to find peace... After all, there's already somebody out there who's going to do it."

Pain glared at that, "Who?"

"The child of the prophecy."

Pain's eyes widened in surprise, "The child of the prophecy?"

Minato attempted to nod, but found he couldn't with the man's tight grip on his neck.

"Yes. The one who will save this world, the one who will find the answer to true peace, and my most precious person... My daughter, Naruko Namikaze!"

Pain scoffed at that, his grip on the man's neck tightening.

"You think the Jinchuriki will save the world?"

Minato shook his head, "No. I don't think so."

Pain raised an eyebrow.

Minato's grin widened.

"I _know_ so!"

Pain stared down at him thoughtfully, taking his words in as Tobi walked up from behind Minato.

"Pain." Tobi spoke lowly, dangerously.

The Rinnegan path glanced up at the masked man before turning his attention to Minato once more.

"So you say, Yondaime Hokage. So you say."

"Perhaps, Pain-kun, she might even help _you_ find peace... She did it for me, after all." Minato smiled at him, and Pain found he just couldn't wrap his mind around the enigma that was Minato Namikaze.

Tobi decided to intervene there, "You're right, Lord Fourth. Naruko Namikaze _will_ help us achieve peace throughout the world... By giving us her demon."

Minato didn't respond to the man, merely staring up at Pain.

Tobi growled lowly in annoyance at being ignored, "Such a shame, Minato Namikaze... You couldn't protect your wife, and now, with your death, you won't be here to protect your _daughter_ , either."

Still, Minato didn't answer to the man.

Tobi huffed quietly, deciding it was finally time to end this little discussion, as he turned his eye towards Pain.

Pain glanced at Tobi again, and the man nodded.

 _"Do it."_

Pain stared down into the eyes of the Fourth Hokage.

"Goodbye, Hokage-sama."

And then, he snapped the man's neck.

* * *

End of Chapter 76

 _ **A/N:**_

This chapter may feel contrived. I would strongly urge the reader to head to the next chapter before becoming too upset by this chapters content.


	80. Chapter 77

He stared down, his one Sharingan eye spinning for the _second_ time in years.

Pain stared at Tobi, wondering what was going through the man's head.

"To think," Tobi began, his voice held a hint of humor to it, and yet Pain could tell the man was _anything_ but amused, "we'd be taken for fools _again."_

Pain said nothing, merely staring down at what _should_ have been the corpse of the Fourth Hokage.

Instead, it was the corpse of...

A toad.

* * *

Minato's eyes opened slowly. He stood up and stretched, his six Anbu companions behind him doing the same.

"That jutsu makes me feel so gross..." One of the Anbu said with a shiver.

"Hey, you're alive, that's all that matters." Another spoke up.

"Yeah, but still... To be controlling the body of a frog, which looks like me, but still feels like a frog..."

"First off, it's a toad, not a frog. Get it right! Second-"

"Enough!" A third Anbu snapped, and the two stood rigid as they turned to face the girl.

"Sheesh, what's your problem?"

The long, purple-haired Anbu said nothing as she turned to face Minato.

"Your orders, Hokage-sama?"

Minato looked up at the sky. It would be dark, soon. Thankfully, they weren't too far from Konoha. A few hours, at most.

That jutsu sure did come in handy.

Over three years ago, Orochimaru attacked Konoha. The man was present, sitting right next to Minato, and yet the man wasn't really there. Instead, the Sannin was controlling a corpse, henged to look like himself.

The interesting part about the jutsu, was that even Minato himself hadn't been able to tell the difference. He'd truly thought it was the real Orochimaru sitting beside him at the time, and Minato's sensory abilities were second to none.

Well, it technically _was_ the real Orochimaru... It was kind of like a clone, when you thought about it.

Details.

The jutsu was incredible, however it required a sacrifice...

Minato didn't like that.

So, he'd played around with it a little, and managed to make a slight alteration.

He could sacrifice toads.

It hurt, using his favorite animal as a tool... But it wasn't like he was using _the_ toads. He'd never do that. No, these were simple, regular toads. He still didn't like it, but it was better than using a human sacrifice, after all.

He'd tried other animals first, but you had to have some sort of connection with the creature. As it turned out, he had such a connection with the toads.

He'd improved upon Orochimaru's jutsu even further, too. Not only could he use it for himself, but by channeling his Chakra, he could use it for his comrades as well.

It was such a shame, really, how he'd never managed to improve upon how much weaker you were in that form.

Had he been at full strength, perhaps he would've had time to channel Sage Mode. Had they been at full strength, or had some sort of practice with the jutsu, then perhaps his Anbu would've lasted longer, giving him more time to gather his strength. Perhaps he could've even defeated Tobi or Pain, although he had his doubts about that. Those two were both fierce.

Oh well.

Minato wasn't stupid. He knew he was likely walking directly into a trap... So, he'd decided to use Orochimaru's jutsu and take advantage of this opportunity.

This was a recon mission; nothing more, nothing less.

Minato frowned. That man, Pain, was definitely strong. He would definitely have to go all out if he wanted to defeat him, although he was pretty sure he could handle it.

Maybe.

The masked man was a different story.

For some reason, Minato couldn't tell just how strong the man was. He got the sense that Pain was the more powerful opponent, and yet at the same time, the masked man gave off a far more intimidating aura.

Or maybe that was just his opinion. The bastard had killed Kushina, after all, so maybe he was focusing more on him.

Still, he'd avoided their little execution attempt, and he'd confirmed with his own two eyes that the masked man that attacked Konoha all those years ago, was indeed the leader of the Akatsuki.

Were they his own two eyes? He had battled through the eyes of a toad, after all.

Then again, it was a toad henged to look like him, so technically-

"Hokage-sama?" Yugao prodded, and the blonde blinked as he realized he'd grown lost in thought.

Minato turned to smile at the six.

"Let's head back."

* * *

Tsunade stared at the vial of blood between her fingers in trepidation.

Itachi kept quiet, watching the woman emotionlessly.

Finally, the woman let out a quiet sigh as she set the vial down and stared at Itachi blankly.

Itachi gave her the same look right back.

"Well, it looks like you were right. This is definitely a virus you'd only find in Water Country..." Tsunade grumbled, and Itachi nodded.

"So we suspected."

"Well, I know how to fix it." Tsunade said off handedly, however Itachi didn't so much as blink, waiting for the woman to continue.

"The only problem, is we're going to have to find a blood donor... A very specific one at that."

Itachi nodded, "Specific in what way?"

"Your blood type is AB, thankfully. However, we'll have to find someone that's a close relative... Only, there's another catch."

Itachi said nothing, merely staring at her patiently.

"The donor _cannot_ have the Sharingan. The virus attacks the kekkei genkai, therefore the only way to stop it is to mix in a little bit of blood that doesn't have the kekkei genkai. By doing so, the virus will grow dormant. It'll have to be somebody of close relation to yourself. I don't just mean any clansmen, it'll have to be someone directly related to you. Fortunately, your blood type is AB, which means you can accept blood donations from literally anybody."

Itachi nodded again.

"I'm going to go inform Fugaku Uchiha, personally. Your father will be able to find a proper donor quicker than I would be able to, and we need to get started operating immediately."

Itachi stared at the woman as she seemed to hesitate.

"There's a chance..."

Tsunade trailed off, and Itachi raised a delicate eyebrow in response.

"There's a chance that the virus is too far along. You won't die, but... After the procedure, you're going to have stay here for a few weeks while I examine you. The reason why is because, well... The dormant virus may reactivate itself upon you using your kekkei genkai."

"I see." Itachi spoke calmly.

"Yeah. You may very well never be able to use your Sharingan again."

* * *

Naruko wrapped her arms around the man in a tight hug.

Minato hugged the girl back, only his hug seemed tighter than usual.

More protective.

"I'm glad you're back. I don't know why, I just... I had a bad feeling." Naruko mumbled as she stepped away from the hug. Minato smiled fondly at his daughter before ruffling her hair.

"Hey!" Naruko snapped as she began brushing the top of her head.

Minato laughed joyously in response, and turned his head as a hand landed on his shoulder.

"I know you weren't gone very long, but I'm glad you're back, sensei." Kakashi said with a nod of respect.

"Of course. Thank you for watching over the village in my absence, Kakashi."

"It's no trouble."

Minato spent some time speaking with his daughter and ex-student, before sending them away, claiming he had work to do.

As the blonde sat in his chair, filing paperwork and examining everything Kakashi had completed, he looked up towards the open window.

"You really need to stay in bed."

Jiraiya shrugged as he ducked through the open window, wincing slightly as he hopped into the office.

"I wanted to hear how things went."

Minato's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Jiraiya nodded sadly, "I see. It was him, eh?"

"Yeah. Kushina's murderer is still out there... And he's the one behind the Akatsuki."

Jiraiya let loose a loud, long sigh as he stared up at the ceiling.

The two fell into contemplative silence for several minutes, until finally, Jiraiya broke it.

"So, Akatsuki surely has found out Naruko is the Jinchuriki by now."

"Yeah, the masked man actually brought her up right before killing me."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, "Killing you?"

Minato gave a small grin, "It's nothing. Anyway, yeah, Akatsuki knows about her status."

"So, what will you do?"

Minato stared at his old sensei, a solemn yet serious look on his face.

* * *

The sound of footsteps echoed across the hallway, and Zetsu continued to glance at Tobi nervously.

"You sure seem, calm, considering what happened." White Zetsu spoke up, and Tobi didn't so much as glance as the man.

"Indeed. I had hoped to take the Hokage's life, but of course, I have backup plans."

"Backup plans?" Black Zetsu rasped.

"Another reason to allow Kane Sanguis to walk free." Tobi said with his eye narrowing dangerously.

"Ahh, you're going to use the boy to draw out Naruko Namikaze." Black Zetsu spoke.

"Indeed. The girl won't stay put, not so long as Kane-kun is out there roaming around."

"But we don't know what Kane will do! We have no clue what he's thinking, or where he'll go!" White Zetsu pointed out.

Black Zetsu chimed in, "Yes, the boy is quite the enigma now. His goals were simple beforehand, but now... Not so much."

"What will you do if the Sanguis returns to Konoha?" White Zetsu asked.

Tobi shrugged nonchalantly, "I highly doubt the boy will do that. He holds no love for the village."

"But he does hold love for his teammates. You said it yourself." Black Zetsu reminded him, and Tobi nodded in response.

"Perhaps. There is always a chance he'll return to Konoha, but if he does, I'm not concerned."

"Why not?" White Zetsu asked in confusion.

"Kane-kun is nothing special. True, the boy is powerful, and an extraordinary Shinobi, but he's one of many. There is nothing that sets him apart from those like Minato Namikaze, or Itachi Uchiha. His return to Konoha would add to their strength, but at this point it would make little difference. Konoha is far too strong for us to assault as it is."

"Assault? You were going to assault Konoha?" White Zetsu gasped.

"Yes. After the death of the Hokage, I would've told Pain to attack Konoha, now while they're weakest. No Hokage, Itachi and Jiraiya both injured, it would've been perfect... But with Minato still alive, there's no point."

"So then what will you do?" Black Zetsu asked.

White Zetsu gasped, "What if you assault Kumo instead?! You could collect the Eight Tails!"

Tobi hummed at that, "It's possible."

Black Zetsu scoffed, "Regardless, the Eight Tails isn't the one giving us so many problems. How will you collect the Nine Tails now?"

"Like I said, we will allow Kane-kun to draw Naruko out of hiding, and then Pain will go collect her."

"So, we're just going to play the waiting game again? And what if the Sanguis returns to Konoha, like we said?"

"If Kane-kun returns to Konoha, then we'll proceed with project _Tsuki no Mei_."

"And if he doesn't?" Black Zetsu inquired.

"Then we wait."

* * *

 _"What?"_ Naruko asked, shock filling her voice.

"I'm sorry, Naruko." Kakashi spoke sadly.

Naruko began shaking in anger as she glared up at her sensei.

"What do you _mean,_ I can't go on my usual C-Ranked Missions anymore?!"

"You've been suspended from active duty, beginning immediately. Hokage's orders." Kakashi said simply.

Naruko stared at him, not believing what she was hearing.

"No."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "I'm sorry?"

"No." Naruko said flatly, no inflection in her voice.

"No?"

"No."

Kakashi sighed, "Naru, you can't just say 'no' and make it go away."

"No."

"Your father is just concerned about you. You know the Akatsuki is after you, now."

"No."

Naru-"

 _"No!"_

"Look, Naruko, I understand that you're not happy about this, but-"

"You think I care?!" Naruko scowled, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"You'll have to be a little clearer."

"You think I care that Akatsuki is after me, now?! I won't run and hide from them! They've been chasing Kane this _entire time,_ and look at what he's been doing! He's been chasing _them!_ He hasn't been running!"

"He ran away from Konoha. He went missing for three years, Naru." Kakashi said calmly.

"And now he's out there, roaming the entire world as he pleases! He-"

 _"He's dead, Naruko."_ Kakashi snapped, and the girl froze as she stared at him wide eyed.

Kakashi closed his eye, clearly distressed, "He's dead, and it's because of the Akatsuki. We don't want the same to happen to you. I can't believe I'm saying this, but... I agree with your father, Naruko. You need to stay within the village."

The two descended into silence, Naruko staring at the man as he kept his one eye closed.

"You're wrong."

Kakashi's eye snapped open, and he stared down at the blonde.

"You're _wrong._ Kane's not dead. He's still out there, somewhere... And I'm going to find him, save him, and bring him home... Whether I'm allowed to _or not."_

Naruko turned on her heel, and stomped off.

Kakashi sighed.

* * *

Itachi watched calmly as Tsunade burst into the room.

The blonde hesitated as she noticed the empty bed beside him, and then she scowled.

 _"That little... When I get my hands on him..."_ The Sannin mumbled to herself, but Itachi paid her no mind.

His attention was on the woman behind her.

Mikoto Uchiha smiled fondly at her eldest child.

"Mother? You-"

"I'm going to be your blood donor, Itachi-kun. Tsunade-sama told us everything, and I'm the perfect fit."

Itachi closed his eyes almost painfully as the woman walked to his bedside, "You don't have to do this..." He whispered, the words barely discernible.

Mikoto continued to smile that same fond, motherly smile as she caressed his cheek.

"It's the least a mother can do for her precious child."

* * *

Kane eyed the corpse up and down carefully.

The corpse of his father.

Karin continued to glance between him and the body, unsure how he'd react to such a thing.

"Why?" Kane finally spat out, and Kabuto raised an eyebrow, a dark smirk still on his lips.

"Why what, Kane-kun?"

"Why are you here? Why did you bring this to me? Why did you turn into... _This._ Take your pick."

Kabuto chuckled, "Does it really matter why I'm here, Kane-kun? All that you should care about, is the body in front of you... The body that I can reanimate, if you'd like."

Kane scowled at that.

Karin tensed up further.

"What did you do to yourself, Kabuto?" The redhead asked quietly, observing him with horror and disgust.

Kabuto smiled at her, and the sight sent revulsion through her entire being.

"After Orochimaru-sama's untimely death, I returned to Water Country... And scavenged the land for anything remaining of my master."

Kane finally tore his eyes away from the corpse of his father, narrowing them at Kabuto.

Kabuto continued, "I found remnants of his body... Small flecks of what was once Orochimaru-sama. I collected them, as much as I could. I returned to the base there, the same one I performed the operation on Orochimaru-sama. Unfortunately, everything was ransacked by Mizu ninja... Fortunately, it didn't matter."

Kane scowled, "Get on with it!"

Kabuto laughed and nodded, "As you wish. Long story short, I implanted Orochimaru-sama's cells into my body. He's apart of me, now... Everything he once was, I now am."

Karin recoiled, _"Abomination..."_ she whispered.

Kane's scowl turned into a look of outrage, "You diluted yourself! You're a monster! You mixed cells, mixed Chakra, mixed _blood!_ How could you?! You're the most impure, disgusting thing I've ever seen! You've diluted your very blood! Your very essence!"

Kabuto raised an eyebrow at him, "That's interesting, Kane-kun. Since when do you care so much about blood purity?"

Kane snarled at him in response, and Kabuto shrugged.

"Regardless, what's done is done. I'm powerful now. More powerful than either of you realize... After operating on myself, I returned to the very same location where I found Orochimaru's cells once again. I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything."

Kabuto's smile darkened.

"Low and behold, Kami-sama himself blessed me. A contingent of Mizu Shinobi arrived not long after me, and I swiftly took care of the entire group. Only one of them even realized I was there... A ninja with the _Byakugan."_ Kabuto slowly reached out and touched under his eye, reverently.

"It's amazing, how fickle and strange the world is. Did you know Orochimaru-sama was an Uchiha? He took the body of one, so therefore he was one..."

Kane's scowl deepened, "Yes, Orochimaru was as vile as you are. Just as impure. Just as filthy."

Kabuto smiled, ignoring him, "When I became one with Orochimaru-sama, I unlocked the _Sharingan..._ The _Mangekyou Sharingan,_ to be precise."

Kabuto's eye transformed into the very same eye used by Fugaku Uchiha, and the man chuckled.

"The most interesting part? _Only my right eye gained the Sharingan._ I'll be frank, I don't really understand it. Orochimaru only had one Mangekyou, and so I also only gained one Mangekyou... Ironic, isn't it?"

Karin's eyes widened in comprehension, "So, when you killed the ninja with the Byakugan..."

Kabuto nodded, "That's right, I took it, and planted it into my left eye. There was no reason not to, after all. Now, I have not one, but _two_ doujutsu."

Kabuto stared at Kane, his Byakugan activated in his left eye and his Mangekyou in his right.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Kabuto smiled darkly.

 _"Filthy."_ Kane snapped back.

Kabuto shrugged, "It would seem Kami truly does bless me. With the Byakugan, I was able to detect Itachi's little trick earlier... He attempted to place me under the strongest Genjutsu in existence. Too bad for him, I saw it coming thanks to this Byakugan of mine, and was able to release myself."

Karin nodded and Kane took two steps forward threateningly.

"You still haven't told me why you're here, Kabuto."

"Oh? I could've sworn I did... I came to give you a gift, Kane-kun." Kabuto smirked as he gestured towards the corpse.

Kane faltered slightly as he remembered its presence.

"I can resurrect your father, Kane-kun, and the two of you can speak to each other for the first time in your life. Interested?"

Kane's eyes narrowed, "What's in it for you?"

Kabuto continued to smirk, "I told you, it's a _gift._ You can choose whether to accept it or not."

Kane hesitated, and Karin stared at his back worriedly.

For several minutes, the three stood in complete silence, the only sounds being that of the wind.

Finally, Kane spoke.

 _"Do it."_

Kabuto smirked once more, performed several handsigns, and then took several steps backwards.

For the first time since his arrival, the man looked unsure of himself.

Kane didn't even notice, his eyes locked onto the face of Braenaru Sanguis.

The face of his father.

For several long, drawn out moments, nothing happened.

Then, the corpse's eyes _snapped_ open.

And blue met blue.

* * *

End of Chapter 77


	81. Chapter 78

The two sized each other up, and Kane couldn't help but notice the striking similarities between then.

The blue eyes, the brown hair, the pale skin, even the body shape... This man was most definitely his father.

But, no matter how many similarities Kane found, the differences outnumbered them.

Braenaru was taller than him. Kane found himself staring up at the man at an incline, and for some reason this annoyed Kane to no end. There was also the stance. Where Kane stood aggressively, his body stature screaming that he was itching for a fight, Braenaru stood straight and rigid. Calm. Intense. Like he was standing at attention in front of a village leader. Like an Anbu.

The biggest difference, though, were the eyes.

Kane knew what he looked like. He knew that his eyes were his most striking feature, as the rest of him was rather plain. Kane had always had expressive eyes, a natural calming blue that spoke of every emotion he felt plain as day. They reminded him of Naruko's eyes in that way, only less beautiful.

Braenaru's eyes were different. They were sharper, duller. Where Kane's eyes screamed emotion, his fathers eyes spoke of coldness and unreadability. It felt as if they cut through you with their intensity, and Kane couldn't help but feel intimidated.

He didn't like that.

Not one bit.

Braenaru blinked slowly, turning his body ever so slightly as he glanced behind himself towards Kabuto.

Kabuto and Braenaru stared at each other for several moments, and the snake ninja finally lifted a hand and pointed a finger towards Kane.

"Approach him, and-"

 _ **'Snap!'**_

Karin jumped back in alarm as Braenaru cracked his neck, the sound so loud it was as if he'd broken a bone.

Kabuto hesitated as the man gently rubbed his neck, and a slow, dark smirk grew on his face.

"As I thought." Kabuto said quietly, and Braenaru turned back to face Kane.

He eyed Kane up and down slowly, and then stared deep into Kane's eyes.

Kane felt a shiver roll down his spine.

"So, you must be my son." Braenaru spoke, and Kane felt another shiver at the man's voice.

Cold. Sharp. Intense. These are the three words Kane would use to describe it. The three words Kane would use to describe everything about this man before him.

"You recognize me?" Kane asked calmly, his voice not betraying his inner turmoil in the slightest.

Braenaru hummed quietly, "How could I not?" The man took several steps closer to Kane, and once again his eyes roamed up and down, "I can tell perfection when It's staring me in the face."

Kane scowled at that.

Braenaru's eyes cut towards Karin, and the redhead took two quick steps back in fright before stepping sideways, attempting to place Kane between them.

"Perfection?" Kane asked lowly, and Braenaru's attention returned to him.

"Purity would be a more akin term, I suppose. You are a Sanguis." Braenaru responded, and Kane realized yet another difference between them. Braenaru's voice was deeper, lower. He spoke slower than Kane, as if every word was chosen deliberately.

Articulate.

It was clear to Kane, the man before him was the very definition of aristocratic. It reminded him of Itachi Uchiha, or Fugaku Uchiha.

"So, did it work?" Braenaru asked sharply, and Kane's eyes narrowed.

Only then did Kane realize he'd been scowling the entire time, his face aggressive whereas Braenaru's was blank and emotionless.

"Did what work?" Kane snapped, finding himself grow more and more irritated at how out of control this conversation felt.

It felt as if he was speaking to Itachi. He felt chided, like a small child. Like he'd made the wrong choices, and he was being looked down upon. Like the person speaking to him was oozing disappointment.

 _And the man hadn't even said anything like that._

Braenaru tsked lightly, and the sound reminded him of Yuka-sensei.

He hadn't thought about her in so long...

"Were you born lucky, a true genius, and have you dealt with your kinsman Sanguis Naibu? Or is the man still alive, and you're fleeing across the elemental nations from him, like a dog with their tail between the legs."

The second statement wasn't posed as a question, but rather an assertion. As if Braenaru believed that to truly be the case.

Kane felt rage course through him at that.

He was _not_ a coward! _He_ was the one that'd been hunting down Akatsuki this entire time!

 _He_ was the one that killed Naibu, not the other way around!

"Naibu is dead. I killed him." Kane snapped, and Braenaru gave no reaction to that.

"Is that so?"

Kane scowled, and Braenaru stared at him with narrowed eyes in quiet contemplation.

As the man continued to eye him up and down, Kane was reminded of something that happened a long time ago...

When he'd first been assigned to Team 7, it had been Sasuke that approached him first. Sasuke spoke with him, asking Kane about his skills as a ninja. What jutsu he knew, what Taijutsu stance, what basic skills he knew...

He'd been found lacking, then.

And he was found lacking now.

"Explain." Braenaru commanded, and Kane bristled.

He did _not_ take orders from this corpse!

"I don't thi-"

 _"Explain."_ Braenaru cut him off coldly, his eyes narrowed dangerously, and Kane felt himself physically shrink back at the look in his eyes.

Kane couldn't remember the last time he felt so small.

The two stared each other down for several seconds.

Kane swallowed a lump in his throat.

"I abandoned Konoha. I went to Bear Country, and I found Yuka-sensei."

Braenaru's gaze relaxed slightly, although Kane still felt pinned to the floor by it. The man gestured for him to continue with one arm before crossing them both behind his back.

"Yuka-sensei taught me everything she knows, she-"

"Yuka Sanguis?" Braenaru interrupted, asking for clarification. Kane merely nodded in response, and he gestured for him to continue once more.

"She was my sensei. She taught me everything she knows. I grew up an orphan, so I didn't know shit... Not about the Sanguis, our bloodline, _anything._ "

"If Yuka Sanguis taught you, then she saw something in you. What did she see?" Braenaru asked, and yet the question felt more like a demand.

An interrogation.

"I can manipulate water. I can also heat up both water and blood." Kane said simply, his face finally slipping into a neutral mask as he stared at his father.

 _His father..._

Braenaru nodded, "I see. Excellent."

"I killed Naibu." Kane snapped, finally beginning to feel a little like himself rather than a small, chided little boy.

Braenaru raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Kane scowled at the man, "Burned him, from the inside out. Boiled alive."

Braenaru nodded, "So you got lucky."

Kane froze, his voice coming out in a mere whisper, "What?"

His father took another step forward, his eyes pinning Kane down once more.

"You got lucky. Let me guess, you can only heat up the blood of someone after they've begun bleeding?"

Kane said nothing nothing to that, and Braenaru nodded in response.

"As I thought. Congratulations then, Kane," Kane winced, actually _winced,_ at hearing his name fall from the man's lips for the first time, "you lucked out."

Kane was sick of this. The bastard had been revived for no more than _five minutes,_ and already he felt the smallest he's felt in _years._

"Lucky?! _I_ killed Naibu, not the other way around! The bastard cut his own body up, right in front of me, and I took his life! There was no _luck_ involved!" Kane snarled, his body tensing up.

"No? So your opponent cut himself up right in front of you, and you just so happened to not have any injuries yourself at the time, and you say there was no luck?" Braenaru asked harshly, but Kane latched onto the second part of his question.

"No injuries myself?" He asked in confusion.

Braenaru scoffed, actually _scoffed,_ and it was the first real emotion he'd seen from the man.

"You're not the first Sanguis to be able to kill an opponent if they draw blood. You're the _second."_

Kane froze.

Braenaru stared him down.

"Naibu Sanguis had the uncanny ability to rip an opponents blood from their body, should they be wounded even slightly. Even the slightest cut meant death, as he could physically force the blood out of an open wound."

Kane said nothing to that.

He had learned how to do the very same, after all.

"You got _lucky."_

Kane took a step forward.

 _No more._

"You sit here and call me weak, and say I got lucky... But you know what?"

Braenaru didn't respond, merely raising an eyebrow at him in response.

It reminded him of Itachi.

Kane felt a vicious thrill course through him at that.

He knew exactly how to handle Itachi.

"You haven't seen the things I've done... The people I've fought. I've taken down numerous S-Ranked Missing Ninja. I've avoided capture by not just Konoha, but _all_ the villages across the elemental nations. I've had the eyes and ears of the world on me, and _me alone._ I've fought a man declaring himself a God, and found him _lacking."_

Kane took two steps forward, and the men were now close enough that if they both stuck their arms towards the other, they would nearly touch.

"If we were to fight, right here, right now..."

Kane eyed him up and down, and this time _he_ was the one to give the other man a look of distaste.

 _"I'd put you back into the dirt."_

The wind seemed to pick up, billowing and howling as if in response to Kane's declaration. Karin continued to stare with wide eyes, still having absolutely no clue how such a seemingly calm day grew so hectic. Kabuto seemed to be enjoying the show, a huge, dark smirk on his face.

Kane continued to sneer at the man, the wind pushing his hair every which way, and the same could be said for his father's head of brown.

Braenaru merely glared at him coldly.

Then, the man took two steps forward, closing the gap between them.

"Then do it."

Kane froze at the words, and found himself looking up into his father's cold eyes.

Kami, he _hated_ how was looking _up._

"What?" He asked lamely.

"If that is what you believe, then _do so."_

Kane continued to stand there, staring up at the man.

He felt small again.

Braenaru began calmly, slowly, walking in a circle around him. The man continued to pin him with his cold blue eyes, and Kane felt as if his own body wouldn't listen to him.

"You think you're strong, boy? You think just because you've been in fights, means you have _strength?"_

Kane didn't respond, his father finishing the circle around him and stopping in front of him.

Braenaru leaned forward and downwards, his forehead nearly bumping into Kane's own as the two got close.

"You don't understand true strength. You're just a little boy, angry at the world, lashing out at everything he sees."

Kane grit his teeth, and yet...

He kept silent.

Braenaru backed up, returning to his previous position as he continued to eye Kane coldly.

"If you're done throwing your little tantrum, tell me something."

Kane continued to grit his teeth, glaring at the man that was his father hatefully.

"Have you found a suitable partner?" Braenaru asked calmly, not affected in the slightest by Kane's ire.

Kane blinked stupidly at that, "What?"

Braenaru's eyes narrowed, "Have you found a suitable partner?"

Kane continued to stare at the man with a dumbfounded expression.

"What, interested in my love life all of a sudden?" He sneered, and the man continued to stare at him.

"Answer the question."

"Why should I?" Kane snapped.

Braenaru blinked slowly, deliberately making him wait for a response.

"You are the last Sanguis. I assume Yuka Sanguis is dead?"

Kane nodded at that, and Braenaru nodded back.

"Then as I said, you are the last Sanguis. It is your job to find a suitable partner, in order to further the bloodline."

Kane scowled, but said nothing.

"You must find someone worthy of your blood. There are, most likely, no such women in the world... None can compare to the Sanguis, after all. Still, you must find someone. So I ask again, have you found a suitable partner?"

Kane eyed the man cautiously, as if he'd said something wrong, "None can compare to the Sanguis, huh?"

Braenaru narrowed his eyes, and Kane scoffed.

"Let me tell you something... All that shit Yuka-sensei kept spewing at me about the purity of our clan? It's all bullshit."

Braenaru scowled, the first sign that Kane's words had gotten to the man, and Kane smirked at him in response.

"I've tasted the blood of the Sanguis. I've tasted the blood of _many_ ninja... And you know what?"

Braenaru continued to glare angrily as Kane gestured behind himself, right towards Karin.

"That girl? She's an Uzumaki. I've tasted her blood before..."

Karin 'eeped' loudly as Braenaru glared at her coldly, the girl fidgeting in place.

Kane continued to smirk, and Braenaru returned his gaze to his son.

"Her blood is more pure than ours. The blood of the Uzumaki, is purer than the blood of the Sanguis."

Braenaru's glare deepened, and Kane's smirk grew.

The two continued to stare at each other, neither saying a word.

Then, Braenaru calmed down inexplicably, his face returning to a neutral mask. Kane's smirk fell away and he frowned as the man became an unreadable book once more.

"Have you found a suitable partner?" Braenaru asked for the fourth time, and Kane snarled at him.

"It's none of your concern."

"It is plenty of my concern."

"The affairs of the living are no concern to the dead." Kane snapped, and Braenaru turned to glance at Kabuto once more.

"Yes... Speaking of which, have you killed the other ones, too?"

Kane frowned at that, "Other ones?"

Braenaru's eyes narrowed coldly.

"The ones who murdered your mother and myself."

Karin froze, the redhead slowly turning to look at Kane, fearing what she might find.

She was surprised to find he looked intrigued, and nothing else.

"I was told the two of you perished in the Kyuubi's attack."

Braenaru scoffed, "So you don't know, then."

Kane's eyes narrowed, "Know what?"

"We weren't killed by the Kyuubi. We were killed by Anbu... _Konoha's Anbu."_

Kane stared at him, waiting for him to explain.

Braenaru looked thoughtful for a moment, "I am pleased to hear you abandoned Konoha. That place is for degenerates, and Supea and I would've never gone there had we had any other choice."

"Get on with it." Kane snapped, and Braenaru glared at him coldly.

Kane felt himself shrink back slightly, and he grew angry yet again and the control this man seemed to have over him.

"We were attacked and murdered by a group of Anbu. I interrogated one, before the two of us were killed... The man admitted that they'd been sent by an elder named Danzo."

Kane raised an eyebrow, "Never heard of him."

Braenaru hummed thoughtfully at that.

"So you haven't killed him then. Are you going to?"

Kane looked surprised at the question, "What?"

"Are you going to kill the man, and clear the stain on the Sanguis clan's name?"

Kane stared at him for several moments, completely silent.

Karin felt fear bubble in her chest.

A leaf elder, named Danzo...

If Kane went after someone like that, there was no doubt in her mind.

He'd be an enemy of Konoha.

Karin started to panic, wondering what she could do to get them out of this situation. Attacking Konoha, killing a Leaf Village elder...

This was the complete opposite of every reason she'd joined Kane in the first place!

She had to do something! She had to-

Kane tilted his head back, and _laughed._

Karin stared at him, completely gobsmacked, as Braenaru narrowed his eyes dangerously.

Kane looked at his father with mirth dancing in his eyes.

"Why the hell would I do something like that? He killed you, and he killed my mother... So what?"

Braenaru scowled, once again letting his facade fall away at Kane's words.

Kane smirked haughtily at him.

"Attacking a Leaf elder? Do you think I'm _stupid?_ So he killed you, and he killed my mother... So what? I couldn't care less about that. The only thing I care about in this world, is my survival... Attacking the Leaf? That seems detrimental to that, don't you think?"

"So you will let the man walk free?"

"He could be standing in front of me right now, and I wouldn't give two shits."

Braenaru huffed as the mask fell back into place.

"It would seem Yuka didn't do a good enough job educating you... I can only imagine the mess you must've been when she first found you, for you to turn out like this."

Kane sneered, "Yeah, such a shame."

"So, if you won't go after Danzo, what will you do?"

"I'll survive." Kane said simply, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"And will you further the Sanguis bloodline?" Braenaru asked.

"I couldn't care less about that. Screw the Sanguis clan." Kane snapped.

The two stared at each other, neither saying a word for several moments.

Braenaru hummed thoughtfully, and Kane tensed.

"You remind me so, _so_ much of him."

"Of who?" Kane asked with narrowed eyes.

"Of Naibu."

The two descended into silence, the sound of the wind permeating the air.

"You would compare me to that bastard?" Kane growled lowly, and Braenaru hummed again.

"Disregard for the clan, love for only yourself, spitting on everything that defines who we are and who we were as a people... Yes, you are quite like Naibu Sanguis." Braenaru spoke lowly, and for some reason Kane felt as if, to Braenaru, his words were a greater insult than calling him dirt.

For the first time, Kane felt he didn't mind being compared to Naibu quite so much.

"Screw the clan. That's one thing Naibu got right." Kane said dully.

"You know, you have that same look in your eye." Braenaru continued as if he hadn't heard him.

"Look?" Kane asked in confusion.

"That same wild, reckless look Naibu obtained after his sister perished. That same look he had after he allowed her blood to flow through his blood well. The look he had when he destroyed the clan."

Kane said nothing, merely scowling at him in response.

"You keep comparing me to Naibu... But you know what I realize?"

"I'm sure you'll tell me." Braenaru said as if it was a chore to talk to him.

Kane glared at the man furiously, "I'd rather be like Naibu, than be anything like the rest of the clan."

Kane froze, as if coming to an epiphany, and stared at the ground.

Slowly, he raised his eyes until he was looking at his father once more.

"Yeah... I think I truly mean that." Kane whispered.

Braenaru narrowed his eyes at him, clearly not understanding his words.

Kane glared over his fathers shoulder at Kabuto.

"You can take him back. I'm finished here."

Kabuto smirked as Braenaru raised an eyebrow.

"Unfortunately, I cannot do that."

Kane frowned thoughtfully, "What do you mean?"

"I hold no control of Braenaru here. He's a free man, as of right now... A living corpse, with a will of its own. I can't release the jutsu unless he's defeated in combat."

Kane scoffed as he turned his gaze back towards his father, pulling a kunai out slowly.

"Then I'll dismiss him myself."

Braenaru continued to stand there, his hands behind his back.

Kane began heating his blood, got low to the ground, and sprinted at his father.

"Perhaps, you were a success after all, Kane Sanguis." Braenaru spoke calmly as Kane appeared in front of him.

Then, Kane slashed upwards, drawing his kunai across his fathers stomach, and instantly began heating up the mans blood.

Braenaru fell backwards, however his eyes never strayed from Kane's and his face never so much as blinked.

As he hit the ground, his body breaking apart as if paper and scattering through the air, Kabuto performed several handsigns, releasing the jutsu.

Kane stood up straight slowly, dropping the kunai onto the ground as he stared at nothing.

Karin cautiously approached him, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"Kabuto, where exactly are we right now?" Kane asked calmly.

"Hotsprings Country." Kabuto stated simply.

Kane nodded at that, and Kabuto turned his back on them.

"This is where we part ways, for now. I have things to take care of... I'm sure we'll meet again, Kane-kun. This little visit has been... Enlightening."

And then Kabuto jumped away.

Kane started walking immediately, and Karin rushed to match his stride.

"Kane?" Karin asked cautiously.

"He never did anything for me, aside from place me in Konoha." Kane said numbly, and Karin kept quiet as she watched him.

"He was dead, and left me nothing behind to remember him by. And yet, after all these years, he finally helped me."

"Helped you?" Karin asked carefully, and Kane nodded in response.

"He helped me find the answer i've been looking for. Thanks to my father, I finally know what I'm going to do, now that Akatsuki is out of the picture."

Karin bit her lip.

"Is it return to Konoha?" She asked, although she had very little hope.

"No, but close." Kane said drily, and Karin's eyes widened at his answer.

"What do you mean?"

Kane blinked slowly, and there was a fire in his eyes she hadn't seen for the past several days. A fire she hadn't seen unless he spoke of hunting down the Akatsuki.

"I'm returning to Bear Country."

* * *

End of Chapter 78


	82. Chapter 79

"Kane, are you at least going to tell me _why_ we're going to Bear Country?!"

Kane ignored her, and the redhead growled lowly in response to being ignored.

 _"Kane!"_

"You wouldn't understand." Kane said simply, and the girl scoffed in response.

"That's because you won't talk to me anymore! What the hell is going on with you? You've been acting strange ever since we got captured by Akatsuki!"

Kane went back to ignoring her, and Karin pulled at her hair in frustration.

The girl counted to ten in her head, attempting to calm herself.

"Fine. Don't tell me. Will you at least talk to me? I'm sick and tired of just walking in silence!"

Kane eyed her for a moment before facing forward once more, "What do you want to talk about?"

"What happened in your fight with the Akatsuki leader?"

Kane's eyes snapped to her, and the redhead flinched slightly at the sudden intensity in his gaze, before steeling her resolve.

"Well?" She asked after several moments of the two staring at each other.

Kane eyed forward once more.

"I lost. That's all that matters."

Karin scowled, "Really? Because it seems to me something bigger is going on here... You sure don't seem to be upset about Akatsuki no longer hunting you down."

"Why would I be upset about that?" He asked blandly, and she nodded.

"Exactly! So if not that, then... What? You're acting weird because you're upset you lost? Is that it?"

Kane didn't respond, and she glared at him.

"If it's not that, then that means _something_ must've happened. Is it about that Sannin, Jiraiya?"

No response.

"Is it about the leader? Did he do something to cause you to act like this?"

No response.

"Did _you_ do something? Or, did something happen during that fight to upset you?"

No response.

"URGH!" Karin screamed through clenched teeth, frustration clear in her voice, "Why won't you just talk to me?!"

Kane's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"You wouldn't understand."

* * *

Tsunade glared at him heatedly, and Itachi merely looked back at the woman calmly.

"You are to stay in this bed for the next week, and I _mean it._ No getting up for anything, and if you have to use the bathroom, you are to have a nurse assist you! You need to stay still as much as possible for the next week. I would even suggest keeping your stretching and rolling around to a bare minimum."

Itachi nodded, "As you say."

Tsunade huffed, "It's been a while since I've had such an agreeable patient. _Stay that way."_ She snapped before turning on her heel and barging out of the room.

* * *

Naruko glared at him up and down suspiciously.

Minato rubbed the back of his head as he gave her a sheepish smile, "Naru... Come on, don't be like that."

"It sure seems... _Convenient,_ that you'd want me to undergo my Sage training now, of all times." Naruko responded with a hint of bite to her voice.

"Yes, well... It's the best of both worlds. Would you rather be cooped up here?" Minato negotiated, and Naruko huffed.

"You shouldn't be keeping me imprisoned in my own home to begin with!"

Jiraiya frowned as he stepped forward, "Come on now, kid. He's just protecting you. You're not a _prisoner."_

"Am I not?" Naruko glared at the white haired Sannin, and the man put up both hands placatingly.

"Hey, don't get upset with me, kid. He's the one who made the call." Jiraiya said as he thumbed backwards to the blonde haired Hokage.

Minato glared at him, "Traitor."

"Ehhh, she's gonna be at Mount Myouboku with me for some time. I need to stay on her good side."

"You're sure you're good to go? Maybe you should let Tsunade check you over one more time." Minato said with concern for his sensei, and Jiraiya scoffed.

"Don't take me lightly, brat! I am the great, the almighty, the powerful _Jiraiya!"_ The man screamed as he took a pose, and immediately howled with pain as a snap was heard and he gripped his lower back.

Naruko couldn't hold her anger at the display, and the girl began laughing boisterously as Minato soon joined her.

* * *

"Well done, Sasuke." Fugaku spoke with an approving nod, and Sasuke relaxed as his Sharingan gave way to onyx.

The two Uchiha began walking back towards the Uchiha compound, and Sasuke spoke up.

"Father, I have a question."

Fugaku nodded at him, and Sasuke glanced at the man curiously.

"After Itachi recovers, will you reinstate him as heir to the Konoha Police Corps.?"

Fugaku looked surprised at the question, and then thoughtful.

"Would you like me to?"

Sasuke stared at him, "It doesn't matter what I would or would not like. What matters is what's best for the Police Force."

Fugaku nodded approvingly, "I agree."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "So?"

Fugaku hummed thoughtfully, "I do not know."

"You don't know?" Sasuke asked incredulously.

"No, I suppose I don't."

Sasuke gave the man a reproachful look, "That's something you should probably decide upon, don't you think?"

"No." Fugaku said flatly, and Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise.

"No?"

"No, it is not something I will decide."

Sasuke held back a scowl, "Father, you can't not decide on an heir, unless you want to risk some other, unworthy Uchiha to-"

"It is something for you to decide." Fugaku interrupted coolly, and Sasuke blinked owlishly in response.

"What?" He asked lamely.

Fugaku eyed him, "The person who inherits will be either you or your brother. Perhaps, Sasuke, you and Itachi should decide amongst yourselves."

Sasuke stared agape, "You're serious?"

Fugaku let a small smile overtake his features.

"I'd be pleased to see either one of you inherit. Both of you are outstanding Uchiha."

Sasuke stared at his father in shock. It wasn't everyday you received praise from Fugaku Uchiha, even if you were his child.

Sasuke's eyes widened even further at the next words out his fathers mouth.

"I'm so proud of you both."

* * *

Onyx met cerulean, and the two stared at each other.

"So, you're heading out." Sasuke stated calmly, and Naruko shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah," She said, "I don't know when I'll be back."

Sasuke nodded, "You better grow strong while you're gone, idiot."

Naruko smirked as she gave a little fist pump, "You know it, bastard!"

The blonde walked forward and gave Sasuke a tight hug, the boy responding in kind.

"Keep an eye and ear out for Kane, okay?" Naruko whispered, clearly distressed.

"Yeah. Don't worry. By the time you get back, I might've already brought the Dead Last home." Sasuke smirked widely as the girl broke the hug with a bright grin.

"Give him a good punch from me, while you're at it."

Sasuke nodded, his eyes growing tight, "Yeah. One for you, and one for Itachi, and one for my father..." He trailed off, and the two both felt the awkwardness around the association between Kane and Sasuke's family.

Naruko sighed, frustrated, "When I get back, we'll go get him. Rules about me staying in the village be damned!"

Sasuke smirked again, "Of course."

"Naruko!" Jiraiya called out, ready to reverse summon the two of them.

With one last wave, Naruko took off.

* * *

 _ **'Schlink!'**_

The sound of a katana being unsheathed was immediately followed by the sound of it being impaled into the dirt.

The masked Konoha Anbu leaned down carefully, as the woman gently examined the tracks she'd found.

She was one of the best trackers Konoha had, Anbu included, and it was because of her skills of observation. The cat-masked wearing Anbu woman had a keen eye, far surpassing the vast majority of her peers.

She'd tracked him down twice now, however both times he'd evaded capture. Both times, she'd been a squad of other Anbu, and both times they'd been hunting him down. It was done illegally, she might add. She'd been apart of _two_ separate task forces, both sent to retrieve him under the Hokage's orders.

Kane Sanguis.

That was before, when he was still thought to be a Jinchuriki. Before he was captured.

Before he was most likely killed.

Everyone left tracks, the trick was finding them. Tracks could tell you a lot about the person that left them behind. How big they were, how many of them there were, if they took short steps or long strides... Even things such as their weight and height, if you were skilled enough to know what to look for. Hell, you could even discover things such as what shoe size they wore, and what brand of shoe they were wearing based on markings.

That was why, she knew.

These were tracks left behind by Kane Sanguis, and one of his companions.

She wondered where the third one went.

"Cat." The voice called out, and the woman turned to stare at the falcon-wearing Anbu.

He thumbed backwards, a nonverbal sign that the others were waiting and it was time to go, but Cat shook her head.

"Go on without me."

Falcon stared at her.

"We've completed our mission. We need to report to Hokage-sama. You can't just run off on your own."

Cat stood up slowly, gently brushing her foot across the dirt, covering the track she'd been viewing.

"I'll accept the consequences. Go on without me."

Falcon hesitated.

"This is against protocol. I'm not allowed to let you stay behind, nor are you allowed to do so."

"I said go on without me." She spoke harshly, and Falcon tensed.

"What's gotten into you?"

Cat turned to face Falcon, "Just go."

"I'm not leaving you behind."

Cat continued to stare at Falcon, and the man let out a sigh.

"Look, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you know as well as I why I can't just let you run off on your own. Why we don't allow _any_ Anbu to do things like that."

"I understand, but your only option is to force my compliance."

Falcon tensed even further, "You would fight me over this?"

"Fight? It wouldn't be much of one, would it?"

The two stared at each other, and Falcon turned around, his back to her.

"You'll regret this." He snapped angrily, and then he leapt away.

Cat glanced down at the covered up footprint, and then turned to face the direction she knew it had been facing.

"Kane Sanguis... You're still alive."

* * *

Karin's eyes snapped open at the sound of panting, and she sighed in frustration.

The redheaded Uzumaki leaned up from her sleeping bag, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she got a grip on her surroundings.

She and Kane were inside a cave, the embers of the firepit they'd created the previous evening dulled to small flecks of light. The cave overlooked a vast landscape, as it was located precariously in the side of a mountain, and Karin had marveled at the beauty of Fire Country for quite some time before going to sleep.

Fire Country... The two were merely passing through, and yet Karin had always believed the next time she came here, it would be to return Kane home... To Konoha. To Naruko.

She'd failed miserably at that.

Karin couldn't help but wonder, sometimes, if she was wasting her time. Maybe Kane was a lost cause; maybe he'd truly never return...

She shook the thoughts away. They'd do her no good, not now. She'd just have to try harder. Every day not spent convincing him to return, was a day closer to the point of no return.

She certainly didn't plan on following him around forever, after all.

Karin stood up and walked quietly over to where Kane lay sleeping, the pitter patter of her naked feet stepping along the cave's surface echoing around her.

She knelt down beside Kane and sighed tiredly as she found him panting and gasping, sweat marring his face and his features scrunched up in turmoil.

Karin got to work, as she had done every night since their release, and began dabbing his forehead and cheeks with the same rag she used every night. The only rag they had.

She didn't understand what was wrong with him. He'd been like this every night since their release, gasping and panting as if he were having a nightmare. And yet, when she asked in the morning how he slept, he always responded the same way.

'Fine.'

Kami, it aggravated her. He was even more reclusive than usual, and for the life of her she couldn't figure out what was going on in that head of his.

If only he'd just _talk to her._

His speech patterns had changed. It was the first thing Karin truly noticed, after realizing something was off about Kane.

No longer did the boy say things like 'we' or 'us' when referring to his goals. It wasn't 'we're going to Bear Country' anymore, now it was 'I'm going to Bear Country'. It was as if she wasn't included in any of his plans, as if she were nothing more than a tag along.

She supposed she was, really, but she'd never felt like that before.

Until now.

 _'He abandoned Hidan...'_ Karin thought drily as she continued attempting to soothe Kane's troubled features.

Really, she'd been telling him to do exactly that for Kami knows how long. Now that he'd actually done it, though...

It just didn't seem right.

Karin sighed quietly, attempting not to disturb Kane's slumber while still taking care of him.

Karin smiled tightly to herself as she looked Kane over. Really, she never would've thought, all those years ago, that Kane would play such a huge role in her life. She never thought she'd be traveling with him. She never thought, of the three members of Team 7, it would be _Kane_ that she spent the most time with.

She'd come to care for him.

He was like a little brother to her. A stupid, annoying little brother who wouldn't listen to a single thing she said, and always thought he was right about everything.

But she loved him anyway.

Too bad she wasn't able to do more for him.

He wouldn't listen to her. She couldn't protect him. She couldn't help him. Kami, she couldn't even get him to go back to Konoha...

 _'Naru-chan, Please rescue him.'_

Karin closed her eyes tightly as the thought came unbidden.

She knew she wasn't what Kane needed. No matter what she tried, she wouldn't be able to help him.

He needed _her._

Kane's eyes snapped open, and Karin let out an audible gasp as she fell backwards onto her behind.

Slowly, Kane leaned forward, his hands shaking as he began gasping for breath, bordering on hyperventilating.

Karin began rubbing his back, shushing him quietly as he continued to shake and pant.

"Are you okay, Kane?" She whispered quietly, and Kane's eyes snapped to hers.

She tensed as she realized how terrible he looked.

His eyes were completely bloodshot. She'd seen him look like this only once before, when he commanded an entire lake's worth of water to fly into the sky at once. Still, despite the strain she'd witnessed, she hadn't doubted for a moment that he'd been in complete control.

She wasn't so sure, now.

Kane closed his eyes as he let out a shaky breath, slowly standing up. Karin attempted to help him, but Kane gently pushed her away, shaking his head as he kept his eyes closed.

She stared at him for some time, watching him attempt to collect himself.

Then, slowly, Kane opened his eyes, staring out towards the entrance to the cave. His eyes were just as bloodshot as before, and it didn't seem like anything had changed, other than his gasps now being reduced to quiet pants.

Kane began walking towards the entrance of the cave, and Karin frowned in concern as she kept to his side the entire time, prepared to catch him should he stumble.

And stumble he did. Karin grabbed ahold of him just before he collapsed, and Kane let out another shaky breath as he managed to stand back on his own two feet.

"Thanks." He whispered, and Karin nodded in response before realizing his eyes were closed again and he wouldn't see her.

"No problem." She whispered back.

Kane opened his bloodshot eyes and stared at her.

"Did you know I couldn't use Water Ninjutsu when I was younger?"

Karin frowned. Kane? Not being able to use Water Ninjutsu? The very same Kane that manipulated Water like nothing she'd ever seen before? _That_ Kane?

The thought didn't seem plausible.

"No, I didn't." She responded calmly, her eyes scanning him up and down warily, prepared to catch him should he fall again.

"Yeah. It turns out, my Kekkei Genkai was actually preventing me from using Water Ninjutsu completely... Yuka-sensei helped me figure it out, and she helped me move passed that obstacle."

Karin kept quiet, listening intently as Kane reminisced.

"To this day, it still plagues me. I can use Water Ninjutsu, but the amount of Chakra required for me to do so is... Restraining."

Karin shivered as the wind picked up, blowing her hair around wildly as the cold chill crept up her spine. She glanced out across the landscape, and for a moment grew lost once again at its beauty.

Bright stars lighting up the night, the moon the brightest of them all as it stood right in the center of the sky. A beautiful aerial view of an abundance of trees close to them, breaking off as a large plain filled with nothing but grass and flowers, a single river cutting across the land. Several mountains could be seen in the distance, and despite the clear view of the starry sky, several clouds could be found blocking even more from view.

Karin tore her eyes away from the view as she returned her focus onto Kane. His eyes were open, and it seemed as if he too was enjoying the sight before him.

"Water Ninjutsu wasn't the only thing that plagued me." Kane whispered, and Karin had to strain her ears just to hear him.

"What do you mean?" She whispered back, just as quietly, and shivered once more as another breeze swept through them.

Kane didn't answer, merely closing his eyes as if in deep thought, and Karin saw his posture transition from a tense one, to one of complete calm and relaxation. He stood straight, his arms by his side, and Karin knew then that she would not need to catch him again.

She knew then, just as she knew watching him control the lake, that he was in complete control.

"It's funny..." Kane spoke, his voice slightly louder than before, and Karin flinched as she found dust hitting her across the face as the wind began picking up.

"I never did find out why I couldn't do Wind Ninjutsu."

Kane's eyes snapped open, still as bloodshot as ever, and the boy seemed to be staring out into the distance.

Karin followed his line of sight, and the Uzumaki girl gasped in shock at what she was witnessing.

Slowly, across the fields, over the river, and in front of the mountains... In the short time she hadn't been looking...

A tornado had formed.

* * *

End of Chapter 79


	83. Chapter 80

Had it been him?

Had it _really_ been him?

No, it had to have been. There was no other explanation.

Right?

Kane gripped his forehead as he felt another headache coming on.

He'd been getting a lot of those lately.

"Kane?" Karin's voice cut through his train of thought, and he had to hold back a sneer.

He wasn't angry at her. Really, he was grateful for her presence. Karin helped him get a grip on reality.

It felt like he needed that more and more.

His thoughts were a mess. A huge, jumbled up mess. There was too much to think about, too many questions and too few answers.

Kami, when had things grown so complicated?

Life was simple before all of this. Defeat the Akatsuki, and go from there.

He'd reached the 'go from there' stage, and he honestly wished he could go back.

He was getting off track. Again. He'd been doing a lot of that lately, too.

Had it been him? Had he been the one to summon that tornado?

Yes. He was sure of it.

And now he couldn't.

It had felt _amazing._ It felt as if the entire world was water. He could see everything, feel everything, _control everything..._

He hadn't been that stressed since the first time it rained, back in Konoha all those years ago.

The sensation was similar to water, and yet it was different. It was as if everything was under water, but there was a sort of... Weightlessness, to everything. Everything felt lighter. Less strenuous.

And now it was gone.

Whatever that sensation had been, it was gone now. Completely. He'd tried to bring it back, but there was no point. It was gone.

Still, it hadn't left him completely. Not really.

He could perform Wind Ninjutsu, now.

Kane scowled internally. While it was good that he'd, somehow, move passed that obstacle and could now perform the jutsu, he didn't really _know_ any Wind Ninjutsu. All his focus for the past three years has been on Water, with a tad bit of Fire thrown into the mix. He knew no jutsu, had no experience handling it, and had no idea how much different it would be learning Wind when compared to Water or Fire.

He could perform Wind Ninjutsu, but he was as barren as an academy student in the subject.

What had happened, last night? How had he done that?

He didn't know.

And for some reason, he doubted he ever would.

"Are you just gonna keep ignoring me?"

Kami, this was all that damned _Pain's_ fault! If he hadn't...

Kane scowled internally once again, but kept his outward appearance blank.

He didn't want to be an open book anymore. His father had held such a powerful, intimidating presence...

Kane wanted to be like that.

He was getting off track again. Damn Pain! _Damn him!_

How was he supposed to figure this out?!

He didn't know. _He didn't know!_

Naibu would probably know.

No, no, _no!_ Now was not the time to open up _that_ can of worms!

Or maybe it was.

Kane stood up suddenly, a deep scowl overtaking his features despite his best efforts, and Karin jumped in surprise.

"I'm going to bed." Kane huffed, and walked over to his bedroll.

How far was he from Bear Country?

A day and a half, he thought. He wasn't sure.

He wasn't very aware of his surroundings these days.

Kane laid down, and closed his eyes tightly.

* * *

She was one of the best trackers Konoha had to offer.

 _One of_ the best.

She wasn't _the_ best.

"Cat." The smooth, velvety voice came from behind her, and the Cat wearing Anbu turned to face her.

"Doe. I knew you'd come." She spoke to the Anbu wearing the Doe mask.

"Yugao, why didn't you come back? The others went back to Konoha, but sent me to retrieve you."

"You shouldn't call me that, Doe. Stick to code names." She chided lightly, and the Doe wearing Anbu nodded slowly.

"We need to head back to Konoha."

Cat shook her head, "No, we have something else to do."

Doe walked closer, "What?"

"Kane Sanguis is alive."

Doe gasped, and Cat bopped her on the head lightly.

"An Anbu doesn't show emotion!"

"Ahh, sorry..." The other woman whispered with embarrassment.

"Don't apologize! Ack, you have a lot to learn, Doe."

"So why didn't you return? We need to tell Hokage-sama!"

"Or, we could go get him. Right now."

"What?" Doe asked in surprise.

"Hokage-sama has sent me on two separate missions to find Kane Sanguis, and both times were a bust. There's only so much we can do when we're illegally searching for a rogue that's not even in Fire Country. This is the first time we've found sights of him here, within our jurisdiction."

Doe kept quiet, nodding thoughtfully.

"And if you came back and told the others, they'd make us return to Konoha."

"And we'd miss our chance." Cat finished.

"Why do you care so much, Cat? You don't have any connection to Kane Sanguis."

"No, but _you_ do."

Cat could tell by her body language that Doe was surprised, and the purple haired woman couldn't help but smirk in response.

"You're the best tracker we've got, and I'm no slouch myself. We can catch him before he gets out of Fire Country, if we hurry."

"You don't seriously think we can defeat him? He's an S-Ranked Missing Ninja in all but name. He's been hunting down the Akatsuki, and he's been doing a pretty good job of it, too."

"Maybe we can't, but you don't intend on fighting him at all, do you? After all, you don't talk about defeating the kid, you always mention how you want to talk to him."

"Yeah, but..."

"Come on, Doe. This is probably your only chance."

Doe hesitated again, "Isn't this against protocol?"

"I'm sure Hokage-sama will make an exception, especially if we're successful."

Doe nodded slowly, "Alright."

"Let's go!"

* * *

"So, you're going to be alright?" Sasuke asked as he leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed.

Itachi nodded, "I will survive, however I might never be able to use my Sharingan again."

Sasuke frowned, "You mean you still don't know?"

Itachi shook his head, "Unfortunately not. We can't test it until my week of recovery is finished, according to Tsunade-sama."

Sasuke scowled, "That woman is a pain in the ass."

"Language, Sasuke." Itachi chided.

"I can't believe she's Naruko's godmother," Sasuke ignored him, "Actually, wait, yes I can. She's as aggravating as Naruko is. The perfect pair."

"You should show her the proper respect."

Sasuke stared at Itachi, "Maybe you're right."

Itachi was surprised at how easily Sasuke gave in, but he didn't show it. "Am I?" He asked.

Sasuke nodded and kicked off the wall, walking closer to Itachi to come to a stop by his side.

"Yeah. After all, she saved my brother's life."

Itachi's eyes widened marginally at the affection in Sasuke's voice, and the man did the only thing he could think of.

He poked Sasuke's forehead with two fingers.

Sasuke scowled down at him as he rubbed his head.

Itachi let out a small, genuine smile.

* * *

Naruko glanced around curiously.

This was the first time she'd ever been to Mount Myouboku.

"This place is pretty cool." She said casually, and Jiraiya laughed heartily.

"It is, isn't it? Well enjoy it, kid. You get to stay here for the duration of your training."

Naruko frowned, and Jiraiya's smile was wiped off his face instantly.

"How long will my training take?" Naruko asked airily, as if the answer didn't interest her.

Jiraiya knew better.

He sighed, "This is about that brat again, isn't it?"

Naruko nodded solemnly, "I just want to be ready for when it's time to go get him."

Jiraiya stared at the girl seriously, and she fidgeted slightly under his unusually intense gaze.

"Sit down, brat." Jiraiya ordered as he plopped himself down, and Naruko obliged.

She looked at him for a moment in confusion, "What is it?"

"Look, Naruko, I'm going to be frank." Jiraiya said sternly, and Naruko tensed at the tone of his voice.

"Alright..." She mumbled, all her attention on the man.

"As it stands right now, you don't stand a chance."

Naruko's eyes widened, "What? What do you mean?"

Jiraiya sighed, "Look, you're an excellent ninja, especially for your age. You outshine all of your peers, save for perhaps your Uchiha teammate. Despite that, neither you nor the Uchiha kid stand a chance against the brat."

Naruko stared at him, agape.

"You can't be serious. I know Kane's strong, but Sasuke and I are incredibly strong, too!" Naruko argued.

"No, Naruko. You _don't stand a chance."_

Naruko looked at the man in complete shock, and Jiraiya let loose another sigh.

"Look, Naruko. I fought the leader of the Akatsuki too. It was a three way battle... And I found I couldn't keep up."

Naruko looked concerned, "What do you mean?"

"I mean I wasn't strong enough. Those two... Both of them were completely out of my league."

"R-really?" Naruko stuttered, the thought of _anyone_ being that much stronger than her godfather, save for her father, was crazy to her.

Jiraiya nodded, "That kid, Kane, is out of your league right now. You and the Uchiha wouldn't stand a chance."

Naruko fell silent at that.

"If you really want to bring the kid home, you're going to have to improve. And I mean _really_ improve."

Naruko looked up at him, a fire in her eyes.

"That's why we're here, right?! To teach me Sage Mode! I'll master this technique in no time, and then I'll go bring Kane back, ttebayo!"

Jiraiya smiled, knowing that the girl would give her training her complete focus now, and not let the brat impede her.

"Good! Let's go introduce you to the toads, then!"

* * *

His eyes snapped open, and Kane found himself staring into pitch black.

Kane brought his hand in front of his face, water dripping from it and landing on his cheeks.

He scowled as he stood up, finding himself in the Blood Well once again.

It was so strange, intentionally coming here. He wasn't sure how he'd figured out how to do it, he just... Did.

A lot of strange things had happened since his fight with Pain.

 _Damn him._

Kane glanced around the Blood Well, and he sighed to himself.

He didn't know what he expected.

As he walked around the Red Sea, he closed his eyes in frustration.

Nothing.

After his fight with Pain, he had cleansed this place completely, as always. Purified. He hadn't missed anything, he knew he hadn't, the Blood Well wouldn't have dismissed him if he had.

So then _what the hell was wrong with him?!_

He didn't know.

Kane sat down on the red water, trying his hardest to ignore the pull of the Blood Well.

He could understand how so many Sanguis children never returned from here. It was beautiful. Calm. Soothing.

Just like water.

The same feeling water has always given him, ever since he first unlocked his Kekkei Genkai back in Konoha.

That soothing sensation. It has been Kane's lifeline for as long as he can remember. The only thing that ever brought him peace. The only thing that gave him freedom.

 _Screw it._

He didn't want it anymore. He wanted...

 _'No!'_ He thought viciously. He wasn't like that! He wasn't like _Naibu!_

Right?

He'd thought so, at first. And yet, after his talk with his father...

He wasn't so sure anymore.

Would it really be such a bad thing? To be similar to Naibu Sanguis? The prodigal child? The strongest of the Sanguis? The genius? The only one to shirk the barbaric ways of the Sanguis, and their disgusting traditions?

The one who slaughtered an entire clan?

Kami, he just... Didn't know anymore.

But he knew one thing; he'd rather be like Naibu, than be like Braenaru.

Kane closed his eyes in frustration.

His fight with Pain hadn't gone the way he'd hoped. Not in the slightest.

When he drank the man's blood...

That had been his greatest regret.

He'd felt it. He'd felt _all of it._

It was so strange, Pain's blood. It was normal, but it wasn't normal.

There was Chakra in the blood. The first rule of the Sanguis clan. Kane was glad Yuka-sensei had stressed that point above all others.

It held true.

Pain wasn't Pain. The man whose blood he drank, it was... Gross. Filthy. The most impure blood he'd had since leaving Water Country to hunt down the Akatsuki.

But there was something else. Something _more._

The man whose blood he drank, his blood was dirty. But he didn't just taste that man's blood.

He tasted Pain's Chakra, infused into the man's blood.

He'd felt it. He'd felt the connection between all six path's of Pain.

All six path's, and the one who controlled them.

They were puppets, he'd realized. They were puppets controlled by the strings, and the puppet master wasn't even in the area.

To make things even more complicated?

The puppet master was an _Uzumaki._

Kami, to taste the blood of the Uzumaki again, it had been _exhilarating._

But the body whose blood he'd drank. That was _no_ Uzumaki. It was a no-name Shinobi, clanless and unimportant. Impure.

But the puppet master was the opposite. His blood was as pure as Karin's. It felt _good._

And yet, it wasn't the puppet master's blood he'd been drinking. Why, then, had he been able to taste it?

It'd tasted like a mixed drink, all six puppets and the puppet masters blood combined to create a new flavor. Kane could tell the difference, he could focus and feel the difference from one person's blood to the next. And yet, at the same time, he could taste something completely distinctive if he didn't focus at all. A mix of the seven different bloods.

It was _disgusting._

Only the puppet master's blood had tasted good, and as impure as each puppets blood was, it didn't compare to the mixed flavor of all seven. It was the most unholy thing he'd _ever_ tasted, and he hoped he never had to taste it again.

To think, Kabuto had done that to himself _intentionally._

To think, Orochimaru had somehow managed to combine his blood with the blood of every single person whose body he took.

The two of them were _abominations._

He'd never do something like that to himself.

Hadn't Naibu done that exact thing, though? Wasn't that technically what he'd done, allowing his little sister's blood to stay even after being summoned to the Blood Well?

Which was why he'd slaughtered the clan, right? Because he'd gone crazy?

Kane wasn't so sure anymore.

Drinking Pain's blood, it'd done something to him. He didn't know what, and he didn't know why. He'd cleansed his blood in the Blood Well after being summoned, and he'd thought that was the end of it.

He was wrong.

Somehow, drinking Pain's blood had unlocked his Wind Ninjutsu. It was available to him now. He could finally learn how to use his secondary element, after all these years.

Somehow, drinking Pain's blood had caused him to create a tornado.

It was gone, that strange strength he'd felt. Gone and likely never to return. Still, it'd been there, if but for a moment.

How had drinking Pain's blood, caused his Kekkei Genkai to extend itself to control over _wind?_

He didn't know.

He just _didn't know._

Pain's blood was pure, and yet it was impure. It was filthy, and yet it was perfection.

He wondered if he'd get the same feeling from Kabuto, or from Orochimaru.

Everything was just so _complicated._

That feeling he'd gotten, when drinking Pain's blood...

 _It was pleasure incarnate._

Nothing could compare. Not the soothing sensation of water, not the deep pull of the Blood Well, not the adrenaline rush of drinking Karin's blood...

 _Nothing._

Why had that happened?

Was that the same feeling Naibu felt, after he allowed his sister's blood to merge with his own?

For some reason, Kane felt that it was.

It would explain a lot. It would explain _everything._

Kami, when Kane had seen Pain once again, in that room with the masked man...

For the first time, he hadn't felt a rush of anger. He hadn't wanted vengeance, feeling the need to lash out against somebody who defeated him in combat. He hadn't felt the need to vent, to prove that he was stronger.

He'd felt something even greater.

He wanted to taste Pain's blood again.

No, that wasn't right... He wanted to taste the _puppet master's_ blood.

The blood of the Uzumaki named Pain.

That pleasure he'd felt, there was nothing like it. Nothing could compare. It was like a drug, and Kane could find himself growing lost in it quite easily if he were to get another taste.

The only reason he hadn't attacked the man on the spot, was his desire to survive.

Thankfully, that goal managed to ground him to reality, and remind him that he stood no chance in another fight at the time.

He'd lost even in the rain, after all.

Kane scowled at that.

He needed to get stronger. _Stronger._ Stronger, stronger, stronger! He wasn't strong enough! How was he going to survive if he ran into someone like Pain again, if he stayed as he was?!

He wasn't.

He needed to improve.

And hadn't he been given the tools for exactly that?

He could learn Wind Ninjutsu, now. It opened up so many possibilities...

And yet, he couldn't bring himself to focus on that fact. All he could think about, is how much stronger he could become if he figured out exactly what Pain's blood had done to him.

The thought sent a shiver of delight through him, and Kane felt disgusted with himself immediately after.

He truly understood Naibu, now. He understood how the man caved in, slaughtering the entire clan.

Anything to get that feeling back. Anything to figure out what it meant. Anything to... To...

To Ascend.

 _'I didn't find it; I didn't find the perfection I sought... And neither will you, Kane-kun, as there are no Sanguis left.'_

Naibu's voice echoed around the Blood Well, as if the man was standing right in front of him.

No, Naibu had been wrong about that. He hadn't been the one Naibu was looking for. The blood of the Sanguis wasn't as pure as that of the Uzumaki.

Kane wondered who else had even purer blood, too.

The image of the masked man's Sharingan eye came to him.

 _'The Uchiha...'_ He realized in awe.

No, not just them.

It went even further.

The Uzumaki, the Uchiha, the Hyuuga...

There were so many clans out there. So many people who could be carrying pure blood.

Perhaps, even more pure than Pain's.

The thought sent Kane into a state of awe. There were _so many._

Surely, one of them would have what he sought.

Kane recoiled, scowling as he realized what had just gone through his mind.

He was doing the same shit Naibu did!

 _'You remind me so, so much of him.'_

His father's words haunted him even now.

Was he really like that bastard? Was he really like Naibu?

No! He wasn't a cold blooded murderer. He may have killed, but it was always for his own survival! He never killed people that weren't a threat to him!

He _wasn't_ Naibu.

Right?

... Would it be so bad? To be like Naibu.

Yes! Yes it would!

... Right?

He needed to find out.

He needed to learn more about Naibu.

He needed to know what perfection Naibu sought.

Only then, could he make up his mind.

Kane had a new goal, now.

He was going to go to Bear Country. He was going to go to Hoshi. He was going to learn more about Naibu. He was going to learn more about his clan. He was going to see if the feeling he'd felt was the same thing that Naibu had felt. He was going to see what the differences were, allowing the blood to mix in the Blood Well versus merely tasting it.

He was going to figure out, _exactly,_ what Naibu sought.

No, not just Naibu. The entirety of the Sanguis clan. The entire clan sought this perfection, they just didn't have the same methods as Naibu.

It was why Kane had been conceived, after all. Incest between brother and sister, in an attempt to create the perfect offspring.

The _perfect_ offspring.

Everything came down to this, Kane realized. The reason he'd been born, the reason his clan had been slaughtered, the reason he'd ended up in Konoha, the reason he'd been used as a scapegoat his entire childhood.

It was all in the pursuit of perfection.

No, not perfection.

 _Ascension._

* * *

End of Chapter 80


	84. Chapter 81

Kane paused as he took in the sight before him.

A large field, filled with flowers and dense forest from his side.

He'd been here before. Once.

It was the same field he'd found himself at, all those years ago. The same field that marked the border of Fire and Rain countries. The same field he'd come across when he'd first abandoned Konoha.

This is where it all began.

Yuka-sensei, Naibu, Water Country, Sasori, Akatsuki...

Everything started here.

"Kane?" Karin's voice echoed from beside him, and Kane glanced at her for a moment.

She gave him a look of concern, "Is everything alright?"

Things were so different now, compared to last time. Last time he'd been here, he'd had no clue what to expect. He had no idea what he was looking for. He wasn't sure where he was going.

It's funny, how different life seemed now.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Kane responded, taking a few more moments to reminisce.

Last time he'd been here, he was so young. So immature. So weak.

He remembered how, last time, things had felt odd. Anticlimactic. He remembered how he'd half expected Naruko, Sasuke and Kakashi to burst from the trees behind him, bringing him home.

He wondered how much different life would have been, if they'd stopped him.

Did it matter?

"Kane," Karin spoke, urgency in her voice, and Kane glanced at his companion curiously.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Someone's coming."

Kane's eyes narrowed.

Looks like, this time, that was exactly what was going to happen.

"How many?"

"Two of them."

Kane nodded, "And?"

Karin paused before glancing at him curiously, "And what?"

"Is it Naruko and Sasuke?"

Karin blinked in surprise, "What? No. Wait, why would you think-"

Before the girl could finish her question, two figures jumped from the trees to land in front of them.

Karin and Kane both tensed at the sight of them.

 _'Anbu.'_

Kane glared as he glanced behind them for any reinforcements.

 _'No, Karin said there were only two. Why would they send only two?'_

Kane had fought his fair share of Anbu. Hell, in Lightning Country he took on over a dozen at once, although he was lucky enough for it to start raining before he was overwhelmed.

Konoha sent only _two._ That could mean any number of things. These two weren't looking for him, but happened to stumble upon him. These two were here to prevent him from leaving the border while more were on the way. These two weren't looking for him at all, and they'd go on their merry way.

These two were powerful, and possibly more than he could handle.

Kane wouldn't let up. He wouldn't give them a chance to take him off guard. He wouldn't underestimate them.

The Doe wearing Anbu began walking forward slowly.

He'd take them down, swiftly.

The woman slowly began reaching her hand up towards her mask.

Kane began heating up his blood, prepared to assault her.

Then, the woman gently removed her mask, and Kane froze.

Kane found himself gaping for several moments before collecting himself, his expression going blank.

"Hi, Kane-kun." The woman spoke calmly, a small, shy smile on her face.

Kane stared.

"Hinata Hyuuga."

* * *

"It's him, isn't it?" The deep voice asked, and Tobi glanced at Zetsu with annoyance.

"How many times must we go through this, Zetsu?"

"But it makes seeeeense!" White Zetsu moaned, and Black Zetsu voiced his agreement.

"There has to be somebody. It would make sense that it would be Kane Sanguis, wouldn't it?"

"No." Tobi said flatly, and Zetsu shook his head.

"Why not?" White Zetsu asked, and Tobi closed his eyes in annoyance.

"Because, Kane is not an Uchiha."

"Who says it has to be an Uchiha?" Black Zetsu asked calmly, and Tobi's eye narrowed.

"I do."

"What if you're wrong?"

"The Uchiha clan are the ones burdened with the Curse of Hatred, not the Sanguis."

"But you said it yourself! There are no Uchiha that fit the bill!" White Zetsu cried out, and Tobi looked thoughtful.

"Perhaps I've missed somebody."

"Perhaps it's you?" Black Zetsu spoke calmly, and Tobi scoffed.

"And who would my counterpart be? Just as there was Uchiha Madara, there was Senju Hashirama."

"The Fourth Hokage!" White Zetsu cried out as if coming to an epiphany.

"The Fourth is older than I am. The counterpart would have to be around the same age."

"Clearly something's changed. You thought that, perhaps, Uchiha Itachi was the cursed child, and you admit now that it was farfetched and untrue. We were aware he was loyal to Konoha, after all." Black Zetsu drawled.

"Yes. I have no idea which Uchiha bares the Curse of Hatred, but I'm sure one of them does."

"I'm telling you, it's Kane Sanguis!" White Zetsu whined.

Tobi whirled around, "Kane Sanguis is _not an Uchiha!"_ he snapped angrily.

"Then who?" Black Zetsu asked, and Tobi closed his eye in frustration.

"Like I said, I have no idea, but it's _not_ Kane-kun."

White Zetsu made a noise of frustration, "Do we at least know who the counterpart is?"

Tobi's eye snapped open and he stared at Zetsu thoughtfully.

"Perhaps..." Tobi trailed off.

"Perhaps?" Black Zetsu prodded.

"Perhaps it's Naruko Namikaze."

White Zetsu let out a cry of joy, "Which would mean it's Kane Sanguis!"

Tobi's eye narrowed, "Not necessarily."

Black Zetsu looked frustrated, "You said it yourself; the two burdened with the Curse of Hatred are intertwined by destiny. The closest thing to that for Naruko Namikaze would be Kane Sanguis."

Tobi hummed thoughtfully, "Maybe, maybe not. Don't forget, the girl has close ties with the Uchiha clan. In fact, an Uchiha is her other teammate."

"The boy? Sasuke, was it?" Black Zetsu asked curiously, and Tobi nodded.

"Indeed. Sasuke Uchiha."

"So _he's_ the one?" White Zetsu asked, and Tobi shook his head.

"He doesn't fit the bill. He isn't cursed, or burdened by hatred. He's lived a sheltered life, as have the rest of the Uchiha of this generation."

"Except Itachi." Black Zetsu pointed out, and Tobi nodded again.

"Indeed, but as skilled as the man is, he isn't burdened by the curse. There is no hatred in the heart of Itachi Uchiha. In fact, if I had to guess, I'd say it was the complete opposite for Itachi."

Black Zetsu sighed, "This is getting us nowhere. Kane Sanguis fits the bill, why are you so insistent that the one burdened with the curse must be an Uchiha? Maybe there weren't any worthy Uchiha this generation, so the cycle took the next best thing."

"The cycle would always choose an Uchiha. We know this to be true."

"But things are messed up this time around. There are no Uchiha that could be burdened with the curse." Black Zetsu countered.

"Ahhhh, this is so confusing." White Zetsu moaned.

Tobi nodded, "Perhaps there is someone we've missed. Someone we don't know exists, even."

"What if the curse is broken?" White Zetsu suddenly asked, and Tobi looked surprised.

"How would it have been broken? Something must've happened to cause it, and as far as we are aware, nothing has."

"Why do you think Naruko Namikaze might be the counterpart to the curse?" Black Zetsu suddenly swapped topics.

Tobi's eye narrowed at the thought of the girl.

"Everyone who has contact with that girl changes, for the better I might mention. Look at the current Kazekage, for example. There doesn't seem to be anyone that girl can't get through to. It's quite interesting, really."

"Except Kane Sanguis." White Zetsu snickered, and the other two ignored him.

"If Naruko Namikaze _is_ the counterpart, then that means she'd have a direct connection with the cursed child. Which would mean Kane Sanguis."

Tobi sighed in annoyance, "We're talking in circles again."

"That's because we need to figure out who the cursed one is!" White Zetsu moaned.

"Talking is getting us nowhere. We don't know, and the only way to find out is to wait."

"I'm telling you, we _do_ know. Kane Sanguis fits every description _except_ he's not an Uchiha. Something's changed, and he's the cursed child! It's the only thing that makes sense." Black Zetsu argued.

 _"Enough!"_ Tobi snapped, and Zetsu recoiled slightly, "This discussion is over."

Tobi turned around and walked off.

Nobody could tell, but Black Zetsu narrowed his eye dangerously.

* * *

Kane glared at the girl harshly, and Hinata fidgeted slightly.

"It's been... A long time, Kane-kun."

Her voice was soothing, relaxing. Her words were softly spoken. Kane could see this girl calming even the most energetic of people with her voice.

"You've lost your stutter." Kane noted blandly, and Hinata blushed slightly at that.

"Ah, yes... It took a while, but I've gotten ahold of it. Mostly, at least."

Kane nodded as he continued to stare at the white eyed girl.

"Anbu doesn't seem fitting for you." Kane said drily, and Hinata looked surprised.

"I'm sorry?"

"Anbu. It doesn't seem like something you would do. I may have only met you once before, but you didn't strike me as the Anbu type. Shy, timid, nervous, really nice... Everything an Anbu isn't, except maybe quiet. I'm surprised to see you as an Anbu."

"Oh," Hinata said with a slight blush, "yes, well... I'm fairly new to the Anbu."

"Why'd you join?" Kane asked, and he was surprised at himself.

Why was he asking her about her reasons? He didn't know this girl. He'd met her only once before, when they were twelve, and the only thing the two of them spoke about was Naruko.

This girl meant nothing to him. Hell, she wasn't even an old friend or comrade, like the rest of the Rookie Nine were to him.

So why did he care?

He wasn't sure why, but he did.

Perhaps that one meeting between the two of them really had been special.

"I've gone through a lot, these past few years," Hinata spoke slowly with a thoughtful look, and then she grinned at him, "Do you remember when we met?"

Kane gave the girl a blank look, "Would I have remembered your name if I didn't?"

Hinata looked sheepish, "Ah, I suppose not. What I meant to ask was, do you remember what I told you? About how I was going to try to become a ninja again? About how I was going to go back to the academy?"

Kane nodded.

Hinata smiled.

"I did it. I went back to the academy and graduated. I joined Team 4, created bonds with my teammates and sensei, and I... I became strong! I've become a strong ninja, Kane-kun!"

Kane nodded, "I would assume so. You're an Anbu."

Hinata smiled brilliantly at him, "Yes! I might even be able to spar with Naruko-chan on equal grounds!"

Kane said nothing to that.

"You've grown too, Kane-kun." Hinata pointed out as she eyed him, and Kane nodded.

"Yeah."

"I'm pleased to hear it! The two of us, we've come a long way since we first met, haven't we?"

Karin continued to look back and forth between the two, every now and then glancing at the other Anbu standing some ways away from Hinata.

"I suppose." Kane responded drily, and Hinata frowned sadly at him.

"I never knew, Kane-kun. I never knew what you were going through. I wish I had. Maybe, I could've helped you."

Kane scoffed, "You hardly knew me."

Hinata gave him a small smile, "Maybe not, but I like to think we became friends, that day in the park. Don't you?"

Kane remained silent.

Hinata's smile fell away, "I was so sad, to hear you'd left the village. But at the same time, it made my respect and admiration for you grow even more, Kane-kun."

Kane looked at the girl in confusement before sneering, "Yeah, I suppose it was admirable of me, abandoning that shithole." Kane said sarcastically.

Hinata shook her head, "That's not what I meant."

Kane blinked in confusion.

Hinata gave him a small, sad smile, "I meant, it made me respect you even more because of what you've gone through. You went through something nobody should ever have to go through, especially alone... And yet, just like Naruko-chan said, you kept moving. Despite all the troubles life and the village kept throwing your way, you kept moving. You still became a Genin, you still joined Team 7, you still made bonds..."

Kane stared at the girl, and her smile widened.

"I really respect you, Kane-kun!"

Karin looked surprised.

Who the hell was this girl, again?

"Abandoning Konoha was the best decision I ever made." Kane snapped, and Hinata's smile fell away as she stared at him.

"I was so worthless, before I left. I was weak, pathetic, and insufferable. All I did was cry and whine about how life wasn't fair. That little boy isn't worth the praise you're bestowing upon him."

Kane threw his arms out, "If you want to give respect to me, then give it to the me that stands before you. The one who's grown strong. The one who's been hunting the Akatsuki. The one who had the nerve to abandon Konoha."

Kane's eyes went wild for a moment, and Hinata took a cautious step back before steeling herself.

"Give respect to the Kane who fights only for himself." Kane spoke quietly, thoughts of Sabaku no Gaara running through his head for a moment.

Funny, he hadn't thought about Gaara since he'd heard the man had been revived from the dead.

Hinata kept quiet for several moments, before slowly shaking her head.

"I do respect you, Kane-kun... But not for that."

Kane's eyes narrowed, but the girl trudged on.

"I respect you, because I know what I saw in that boy that day in the park. I respect you because I know, deep down, you're a kind hearted person."

Kane sneered, "You don't know anything about me."

Hinata gave a small smile, "I do, Kane-kun. Sometimes, I think it takes somebody else to see something in you that even you yourself cannot see. Naruko-chan taught me that."

Kane found himself growing angrier with every word she spoke.

"I know who I am, and what I am."

Hinata smiled sadly, "Do you, Kane-kun?"

Kane froze.

Hinata's smile fell away as she looked at him with sorrow.

It was strange, the look she was giving him. It was as if she felt his pain, as if she truly understood him. It was a look one would give to somebody that they pitied, and yet he felt none of that from the girl. It wasn't as if she pitied him, it wasn't even as if she sympathized with him. No, not even sympathy. It was empathy.

It was as if she truly understood.

Kane didn't know how to react.

"When I look at you, Kane-kun... I see myself. I see the little girl I used to be, when I dropped out from the academy. I see someone who's lost their way, and doesn't know who they are anymore. I see someone who, with a little help, could become something great."

Hinata closed her eyes as she gave him the biggest smile yet, and Kane's eyes widened in surprise at the look of pure happiness this girl was radiating.

"I'd love it if you let me be one of the ones who helped you, Kane-kun."

The two descended into silence, the wind billowing and whistling around them.

Karin stared at the girl, dumbstruck, before glancing back at Kane.

Could this girl truly be someone that could help Kane? Could this girl have something that Karin was finding herself to lack?

Could this girl save Kane?

Kane closed his eyes

"Maybe you're right, Hinata. Maybe I _don't_ know who I am." He whispered.

And Karin felt something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Hope.

Hope that, maybe, Kane would give in. Maybe, Kane would return to Konoha. Maybe, Kane would let somebody in. Hope that, maybe, somebody could actually save Kane.

Kane opened his eyes slowly, a dangerous glint within them.

"But, sometimes, when you discover more about yourself, you might not like what you find."

And Karin's hopes came crashing down.

The redheaded Uzumaki's face dropped as she stared and Kane with disappointment, and Hinata seemed to share the sentiment.

"I see..." Hinata whispered sadly.

Kane blinked slowly before throwing his arms out, "So, why are you here? Have you come looking for a fight? I assure you, Hinata Hyuuga, that you'll find me more than a match for you and your little friend."

Hinata continued to watch Kane sadly as he gained a look of mild amusement.

"Two on one, those odds don't look favorable for you."

Hinata shook her head, "I won't fight you, Kane-kun."

Kane paused as his amusement vanished, and he gave the white eyed girl a look of annoyance.

"Then why are you here?"

Hinata gave him a sad smile.

"To let you know, Kane-kun, that you have friends waiting for you back home."

Kane sneered, "Friends, bonds, teammates... You keep using all the same terms everyone else from that damned place uses. I'm so sick of hearing about _bonds!"_

He took a threatening step forward, but Hinata held her ground.

"Look at me, Hinata! Look at how strong I've become! Bonds didn't get me where I am! I got this strong on my own! Me! By myself!"

"You're only strong when you fight for those who are precious to you." Hinata whispered, but Kane heard her, and he snarled in response.

"Stop throwing Naruko's stupid words at me! It won't work! Naruko is _wrong!_ I'm living proof of that! You hold so much respect for Naruko _freaking_ Namikaze, Hinata. But you know what? I'm _stronger_ than her! I'm _stronger_ than Sasuke Uchiha! I'm _stronger_ than Neji Hyuuga, or Kiba Inuzuka, or _even_ Sabaku no Gaara!"

The thought of Braenaru crossed his mind, and Kane calmed himself.

He wanted to display the same control over himself his father had shown, and he was doing a shitty job of it.

"And it's because I fight for myself and my survival. Nothing else matters." Kane finished dully, and Hinata shook her head.

"You're wrong, Kane-kun. You'll see the power of bonds one day. You used to agree. You used to understand."

Hinata gave him a small smile, "I think, maybe, Naruko-chan can change you for the better, too."

Kane sneered before turning his back on the girl and marching off, Karin jumping in surprise before chasing after him.

Hinata watched him walk away with a determined look on her face.

"Kane-kun!" She called out, and Kane turned to glare back at the girl.

Hinata gave him another one of her brilliant smiles, and for some reason he was reminded of Naruko.

"When you decide to come home, I'll be one of the first in line to welcome you back. It's a promise!"

Kane stared for several seconds.

Then, he turned around, and he and Karin leapt away.

* * *

End of Chapter 81

 ** _A/N:_**

Special shoutout to THE-Twilight-BlazeKnight for calling the reunion with Hinata, and everything that entails, ten chapters ago! Spot on!


	85. Chapter 82

Karin glanced around the treetops cautiously, halfway expecting several kunai to come flying down at them suddenly.

The redhead bit her lip as she glanced at the entrance to the village known as Hoshigakure, concerned with exactly how welcoming this village would be to two Missing Ninja.

"There's no need to be so worried, Karin." Kane drawled, and the redhead turned to frown at him as the two began their slow walk towards the village.

"How do you know, Kane? We're Missing Ninja! They might try to capture us! They might-"

"They won't."

"How do you know?!" Karin cried out in dismay before letting out a loud _**'eep!'**_ and covering her mouth with both hands, glancing across the treetops once again in fear.

Kane blinked slowly, a small smirk crossing his lips as thoughts of Yuka-sensei began swimming through his mind.

"Because I'm a Sanguis."

* * *

The man was unattractive, to say the least.

Dark circles under both eyes along with crows feet, messy brown hair that was unkempt and looked greasy, wrinkles along his body that belied his young age. The man looked to be in his late fifties, when in actuality he was in his late thirties.

The Hoshikage sat in his large chair, the size of it dwarfing him and, in Kane's opinion, making him look less authoritarian and more like a small child playing Kage. Several Jounin were standing guard around the room, and Kane wondered if they were always there, or if they were here specifically for him.

The 'office' of the Hoshikage was nothing like that of the Hokage's. It wasn't a single room in a large building, but rather a single floored building that was easily the largest building in all of Hoshi. The entire center of the room was barren, a straight path from the entrance to the seat the Hoshikage was currently occupying.

 _'Where does he even do his paperwork?'_ Kane wondered idly, then noticed a small desk in the corner of the room with a chair in front of it.

That was so...

He couldn't even come up with a proper word for it.

As Kane came to a stop in front of the Hoshikage, one of the Jounin suddenly grabbed Karin's shoulder tightly. The Uzumaki girl gasped before smacking his hand away, quickly placing Kane between the two of them.

Kane raised an eyebrow at the Jounin, and the man huffed in annoyance.

"She's not allowed to be here. Hoshikage-sama wishes to speak to you, _alone._ "

He nodded before glancing at Karin with a pointed look, and the girl glared at him harshly before allowing herself to be steered away and back out the door they came in from.

Kane turned his attention back to the man in front of him, and found the Hoshikage to be glaring at him with malice.

He had to hold back a smirk at the sight.

This man didn't intimidate him in the slightest.

As he glanced around at the several Jounin in the room, Kane suddenly realized just how a clan like the Sanguis, apparently considered weak by several other clans, could have free reigns here in Hoshi.

This place was nothing like Konoha.

"So, you claim to be Kane Sanguis." The Hoshikage spoke, his voice deep and baritone. It was the most pleasant thing about the man, considering his appearance.

Kane actually did let out a smirk, unable to hold back his amusement at this man's continued glaring.

This place was nothing like Konoha, and yet...

He found that the thought was not one he appreciated.

* * *

Karin sighed loudly as she glanced at the Jounin standing near her irritably.

"So, why am I not allowed in there again?"

The Jounin shrugged, "Hoshikage's orders."

Karin huffed, "What's it like here, living in Hoshi?"

"None of your business."

"Excuse me?" She asked in outrage as she turned to face the man fully.

"Yeah, excuse you." The man sneered at her, and Karin growled lowly in response.

Ohhh, she hated it here already.

She turned her back to the man as she mumbled 'bastard' under her breath.

Why had Kane wanted to come here, again?

Oh, right.

 _He wouldn't freaking tell her._

The thought sobered her slightly. No matter what, thoughts of Kane gave her unease lately.

She was concerned with him. The way he'd been acting. His erratic behavior.

Nothing he did made sense anymore! He'd become reclusive after losing to Pain, and so she had even less insight to the inner workings of his mind than she did before!

Why the hell were they here in Hoshi?! What could Kane possibly want from here? Why didn't he just go back to Konoha, damnit?!

Karin was beginning to doubt he ever would.

Kami, that Anbu girl, Hinata... She'd given Karin false hope for a moment. She had, honestly, thought the girl had gotten through to Kane.

She didn't understand Kane. He claimed his life back in Konoha was _sooo_ shitty, but it sure didn't seem like it from her point of view.

He had Naru-chan, first off.

Then there was that cute guy, Sasuke Uchiha. Hmm, she had to move passed him quickly. She didn't know why, but she _really_ liked that guy. Probably just her hormones.

And now she was learning there were people like that sweet Hinata in Konoha, too!

It wasn't a lack of friends and support. Kane had plenty of people waiting for him back in the Leaf, at least in Karin's opinion.

He claimed he'd been alone, other than Naru-chan, Sasuke and his sensei. Even then, he'd confided in Karin that he never felt like he belonged with them to begin with.

That was a load of crap, in her mind. They'd been chasing after him for years now!

Whatever.

Despite what Kane said, he had people that wanted him back. So why wouldn't he go? Kane was the strongest ninja she'd ever met, even stronger than Naru-chan. He may have lost to that Pain guy, but she'd seen him! He was freaky! There were six of him, first off, and that's just plain unfair. And those eyes!

 _Fuh-ree-kay!_

There's nobody else in the world Karin would choose to have by her side in a fight over Kane. That was a fact. She respected him more than anyone else as a ninja, _even_ Naru-chan.

He could take care of himself. So _what_ was the problem?

What, was he scared that, if he went back, people would be mean to him?

Boo hoo.

That didn't even make sense to her. First off, he could get over it. He was a grown man, damnit!

Well, they were only fifteen, actually. But still! They were ninja!

Secondly, since _when_ did Kane give a shit what people thought? He's been ignoring every single person, including her, that tell him to go back to Konoha. So why wouldn't he just ignore the people that pissed him off in Konoha?

Ugh.

He'd claimed it was Akatsuki, beforehand. He wasn't safe so long as they were around, and he was going to hunt them down.

Now, he didn't have that excuse. Hell, he had even more reason to go back, if you asked her! They were hunting Naru-chan, now!

They'd received word along the road. The entire world probably knew by now.

Naruko Namikaze was the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails.

So now, Akatsuki would be after her! Kane should go back to Konoha to protect her!

She'd told him exactly that, and he'd brushed her off.

 _Ugh!_

There was literally no reason to be here. Kane had _no reason_ to not return to Konoha. Akatsuki weren't a reason not to return. People's opinions weren't a reason not to return. A lack of friends and family weren't a reason not to return.

So _why?!_

It all came back to his strange behavior, Karin realized several days ago.

He'd been acting strange ever since he lost to Pain, and she didn't know what it was, but _that_ was the reason he hadn't returned.

Whatever the problem was, Karin knew that if he could just... Move passed it, then he would return to Konoha.

Definitely!

Maybe.

Probably not.

The longer she thought about it, the more disheartened she grew. Even the mention of Konoha was one of the quickest ways to bring a scowl to the boys face. It had been that way since the day he showed up in her house.

He didn't like Konoha. Plain and simple.

But Kami, come on... She just...

Karin sighed sadly.

More and more she became disillusioned with the idea of him ever returning.

 _'Naru-chan really is my last hope...'_

The door behind her burst open, and Karin jumped in fright. She turned around to find Kane walking towards her, the Hoshikage standing behind him and watching him with a pleased smirk on his face.

She didn't like that guy.

Kane came to a stop in front of her, his face blank, and she raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Well?" She prodded after he merely stared at her for a while.

Kane raised an eyebrow right back at her.

"We're having a feast thrown in my honor tonight."

* * *

"Tell me again why, exactly, a Hidden Village would throw a feast for two Missing Ninja?" Karin asked with annoyance as she perused the different clothes given to them as options for the feast.

 _'Ugh. This place has no fashion sense whatsoever! I'm not wearing this junk!'_

"Because I'm a Sanguis." He replied as he continued playing around with a small ball of water, manipulating it through the air.

"That's not an answer!" Karin snapped, her eyes roaming up and down a strange looking kimono in distaste.

Kane smirked, his eyes glancing at her back for a moment before returning to the ball, "Sure it is."

Karin rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Look at this stuff! It's hideous! I'm not wearing this stuff, Kane!"

Kane shrugged, "Then don't. I'm certainly not."

Karin blinked before turning around to look at him, her face one of consternation.

"You're not?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Kane turned to look at her with a raised brow, "Aren't you in the middle of complaining that you don't like their clothes?"

"Yeah, but I'm at least trying to look for something! Why aren't you going to wear the clothes of Hoshi?"

"Because I don't feel like it."

Karin put her hands on her hips as she glared at him reproachfully, "Kane."

"I'm not wearing their clothes, nor am I getting dressed up for a dumb feast."

"It's being thrown in your honor!" Karin gaped.

"Don't care."

"You're a child."

Kane smirked, and she huffed.

She turned around and continued rifling through the different outfits, groaning as she once again realized how terrible the clothes were in Hoshi.

"I'd prefer if you didn't wear their clothes either." Kane suddenly called out, and Karin furrowed her eyebrows but didn't take her eyes off the outfits.

"Why not?"

Kane glared at the ball of water, but Karin didn't notice.

"Because we don't belong to Hoshi."

* * *

The feast was grande, but Karin found she really hated it.

One huge, long table, over a hundred chairs placed in front of it and every single one of them occupied. Different foods were littered across the table, and food was being flung everywhere as the people and ninja continued to dig in.

 _'Savages.'_ Karin thought to herself with disgust, wiping off a piece of food that landed on her cheek.

Why was she here again?

Right.

She glared at Kane, sitting next to her, but the boy either didn't notice or didn't care.

Suddenly, the Hoshikage stood up, the man sitting at the head of the table, Kane right beside him.

Everyone quietened instantly.

"I'd like to take a moment to bring to light the man of the hour!" The Hoshikage declared before gesturing to Kane.

"Kane Sanguis has finally returned home!"

The entire building erupted in applause and cheers, and Kane shared a look with Karin.

The Hoshikage held up his hand, and silence reigned supreme not long after.

"Hoshi has gone through troubling times, lately. The death of our beloved Naibu as well as our elder Yuka, three years ago. Those were foreboding times, as the last of the Sanguis left us forever. Hoshi lost what was the last two members of it's only remaining clan."

The man threw his arms out, a huge, pleased smirk overtaking his features.

"So it is with great pleasure, that I'd like to announce the _return of the Sanguis Clan to Hoshigakure!"_

The crowd erupted in joy once again, and Karin's eyes went wide with shock.

She whirled around to stare at Kane, and he returned her look with one of his own.

He had _not_ told her that.

* * *

"You didn't tell me that!" Karin snapped, and Kane shrugged.

"It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?! Kane, you swore to the Hoshikage that you'd become an official ninja here! What the hell, Kane?!"

"It's not like I'm going to keep my word." Kane responded drily, and Karin growled.

"That doesn't make it any better! Do you know how much trouble this could cause for us?!"

"Not as much as it could cause for Hoshi." Kane responded with an eyeroll, and Karin blinked in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"The man's an idiot, Karin."

Karin furrowed her brows, "Who?"

"The Hoshikage. He seriously attempted to recruit me, back when he and I spoke."

"You're a Sanguis. The last one, might I add. Why wouldn't he try to recruit you?" Karin asked in confusion, and Kane scoffed.

"Because I'm a Missing Ninja? Because not too long ago the entire world was looking for me, because I was a Jinchuriki? Because Konoha still wants me back? Because Konoha could declare war over this, and it would be justified? Take your pick, really. There are plenty of other reasons I'm sure you can come up with."

Karin sighed, "Okay, so he's an idiot. What does that have to do with _anything?_ Why would you agree to this, Kane? Why the hell are we here?"

Kane looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, and Karin decided it was time to put her foot down.

"Answer me, Kane! No more keeping me in the dark! Tell me why the hell we're here!" She snapped, and Kane looked surprised at her outburst.

Slowly, he nodded.

"Alright."

Karin's glare deepened, "Well?"

"I'm looking for something." Kane spoke slowly, as if choosing his words carefully.

"You're looking for something?"

Kane nodded.

Karin relaxed slightly, pleased he was at least answering her, even if it was vague.

"What are you looking for?"

"I don't know."

The two stared at each other, and Karin slowly began growing angry again.

"You _don't know."_ She grit out, and Kane kept silent.

Her eye began twitching as she attempted to calm herself.

"What the hell do you mean, you _don't know."_

Kane frowned thoughtfully, "Exactly what I said. I don't know."

"Kane, I swear to Kami, if you don't explain yourself right now I'm-"

"I need to find out more about Naibu Sanguis." Kane interrupted, and Karin looked at him warily.

"The guy who killed your clan?"

Kane nodded.

"Why?" Karin asked.

"He was looking for something, when he killed my clan."

"Huh? I thought you said he went crazy?"

Kane shook his head, "I thought so too, at first. Now I'm not so sure. I think... I think he was searching for something. Something real. I don't know what it is, but I always dismissed him as insane, in the past. Now, I think I was wrong."

Karin frowned thoughtfully, "What was he looking for?"

Kane looked annoyed, although Karin could tell it was directed more at himself and the situation, rather than her.

"I don't know. I'm not even completely sure I'm right. All I know, is Naibu was looking for something. It's why he killed everyone."

Kane stared up at her, determination in his eyes.

For some reason, it sent a shiver of fear down her spine.

"I'm going to find it. Whatever it is he sought, I'm going to find it."

Karin looked at him worriedly, "Why?"

Kane closed his eyes, "My entire clan died because Naibu was looking for it. The reason I was born in Konoha was because of it. The reason I was there, available to be chosen as a fake Jinchuriki, was because of it. My entire life, everything comes back to Naibu, and the thing he was searching for."

Karin hesitated, "Maybe... Maybe you should let it go."

Kane's eyes snapped open, and he glared at her.

Karin didn't back down.

"Look, Kane. Whatever this... Thing, is, it's not worth it. The guy murdered an entire clan, _your_ clan, looking for it. Maybe it's best if you just let sleeping dogs lie, you know?"

Kane relaxed as he looked at her for a few moments, before shaking his head.

"I have to know, Karin."

"Do you?" Karin asked, defeated.

Kane nodded, a hint of sadness in his eyes, and yet there was no backing down.

 _"Yes."_

* * *

Kane glanced up at the ceiling, a small smile on his face.

This place was different. Smaller, less intimidating at first sight, and yet worse in every way. Dirtier, less refined, less spacious.

He definitely preferred Konoha's library.

Still, he'd missed the familiarity that this type of building brought him. He hadn't set foot in a library since he ran away from Konoha, and he hadn't even realized that fact until he and Karin walked into the building.

It was strange, walking through Hoshi. Hoshigakure wasn't very big, maybe the size of the Uchiha compound back in Konoha. Maybe smaller. He didn't know.

Everywhere he went, people either gave him a wide berth, or were quick to throw shouts of adoration and love his way.

He wondered if this is how Naruko felt, living in Konoha.

It made him slightly jealous.

And yet, it must've been better for Naruko than it was for him. The praise and affection bestowed upon him by the villagers and ninja of Hoshi meant nothing to him. He didn't care for it, and he held no love for Hoshi. No loyalty.

He'd lied when he agreed to become a ninja here, after all.

Karin walked up then, interrupting his train of thought, and dropped a stack of books onto the table in front of him, the girl looking quite pleased with herself.

Kane raised an eyebrow, "Find anything?"

The girl beamed, "Maybe! These are all the books in the entire library about the Sanguis clan!"

Kane looked at the stack in front of him and frowned.

They'd be here for awhile.

"Kane?"

Kane glanced at the redhead, and his frown deepened slightly as he noticed the nervous look on her face.

"Yeah?"

Karin fidgeted slightly, "Naibu is gone."

Kane immediately scowled, remembering the conversation with the Hoshikage.

This morning, the morning after the feast, the two immediately went to see the Hoshikage. He wanted to discuss Kane's integration into the Shinobi lifestyle of Hoshi. He'd decided to give Kane a week to get himself situated, and the two of them were granted a free stay in the village's only motel until they could find a house for them.

Naibu never had a house here, strangely. The man would just... Walk right into the home of whichever person he felt like, and would spend the night sleeping there and eating their food.

Naibu was charming. He could bend almost anyone to his will just by smiling at them, and even without his looks he held a silver tongue. The entire village adored him, and apparently it really was just completely 'brushed under the rug' when he decided to slaughter the entire Sanguis clan.

As Kane and Karin spoke to the Hoshikage, Kane asked if he could see Naibu's resting place.

There was no point.

It had been defiled.

Someone apparently desecrated Naibu's grave, and took the body. Kane had scowled at that, hoping that Naibu's corpse could maybe give him some sort of insight.

He'd asked about Yuka-sensei, too. Apparently, her body had never been recovered in the first place.

Yuka Sanguis and Naibu Sanguis were both found dead in Yuka Sanguis' log cabin, some ways away from Hoshi. A huge fire had drawn the attention of several Jounin, and by the time the fire was put out, Yuka Sanguis had burned to ashes. Naibu's corpse had been recovered, however.

Hoshi had no idea what, exactly, happened to the last two Sanguis. They believed that Naibu had decided to murder Yuka, and that the woman must've been prepared for him, and somehow found a way to take him down with her.

They had no other explanations for how the great Naibu could've died.

"Yeah, Naibu is gone." Kane scowled.

"Err..." Karin hesitated, and Kane raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

Karin sighed before deciding to just dive straight in.

"When Naibu killed your clan, he burned the body of everyone he killed. There are no Sanguis corpses in the world, other than Naibu himself, your father, and possibly your mother."

Kane nodded, "Yeah."

Karin frowned, "Kane... Kabuto had Braenaru's corpse."

Kane froze, understanding dawning in his eyes.

"You don't think-"

"Maybe Kabuto has Naibu's body?"

The two fell into silence.

"Do you think-" Kane began, but found he was cut off by Karin once again.

"That Kabuto has your mother's body, too?"

Kane glared up at the ceiling.

Karin sighed.

"I don't know what that asshole wants with the bodies, but it's the only explanation for Naibu's corpse going missing. Kabuto is skilled enough to sneak in and take Naibu's corpse without anyone detecting him, as much as I hate to admit it... And he _did_ have your father's body."

Karin stared at him, but Kane continued to glare up at the ceiling.

"It _makes sense."_ Karin finished with finality in her voice.

Kane scowled as he turned to the stack of books in front of him, grabbing the top book, and pushing the rest of the books away.

"It doesn't matter right now. Let's just focus on figuring out more about the Sanguis clan."

Karin sighed, and the two of them got to work.

They had a long week ahead of them.

* * *

End of Chapter 82


	86. Chapter 83

_**A/N:**_

Reminder that there were _two_ chapters yesterday! Make sure you're reading the correct chapter!

* * *

"Huh, the Chinoike clan..." Kane mumbled, and Karin nodded as she pointed at some text in a book, Kane leaning over her shoulder.

"Yeah! Apparently, the Chinoike and the Sanguis clans were two sides of the same coin. Both sides argued over who came first, as in did the Chinoike come from the Sanguis or vice versa, and the Chinoike clan forced the Sanguis clan out of Lightning Country."

"So the Sanguis were from Lightning Country then." Kane realized.

"I guess so. Ever heard of the Chinoike?"

Kane shook his head, "No."

"Me neither."

Kane hummed thoughtfully.

This could be useful information. He'd file that away for later.

"Anything else?" Kane asked curiously, and Karin nodded.

"Apparently, the Chinoike clan were mercenaries, but the Sanguis weren't."

"What were the Sanguis, then? There weren't hidden villages back then, right?"

"No. Until Konoha came along, there weren't any villages. Apparently, the Sanguis were... Barbarians, I think is the word that was used."

Kane raised an eyebrow, "They called themselves barbarians?"

Karin nodded, "Yeah. Apparently. It was the word they used for bandits that were also ninja, before the title Missing Ninja came along."

Kane looked thoughtful for a moment, "What do they call ninja nowadays who aren't part of a village, but aren't Missing Ninja?"

Karin paused, a confused look on her face, "Don't ask me! Maybe they still call them Missing Ninja."

"But they're not rogue." Kane said blandly.

"I don't know, Kane!" She snapped, and Kane smirked at her ire.

* * *

"You know, it would help if you'd tell me a bit more about what it is exactly I'm supposed to be looking for." Karin drawled, and Kane shook his head in response.

"I told you, I'm not sure."

"Then how will learning more about the Sanguis clan help us figure it out?!"

"I don't know. Maybe it won't. It's still worth a shot."

Karin groaned as she began reading again.

Kane paused as he narrowed his eyes.

This looked interesting.

 _'It is believed that the Sanguis clan are the direct descendants of the Sage of the Six Paths, and all other clans are considered mutations that add to their impurity.'_

Kane blinked in surprise at how... Biased, that sounded. There's no way that was correct.

He turned to the back of the book and scoffed.

Written by a Sanguis. Of course.

He'd take everything from this book with a grain of salt from now on.

* * *

"Hmm..." Karin mumbled as she rubbed her chin.

Kane watched her as she collected her thoughts.

"So, what you're saying is, all ninja come from the Sage of the Six Paths?"

Kane shook his head, "No, all Chakra does."

"So it's not a blood thing?"

Kane frowned, "I guess not. I don't really know much about the history of jutsu, and these books aren't too helpful on the subject, but apparently all jutsu came from the Sage. Or, at least, he was the first person to figure it out."

Kane paused as he glanced at the ceiling.

Wouldn't that mean the Sage of the Six Paths was the purest?

The thought opened up numerous possibilities, and even more questions.

Karin scoffed, interrupting his train of thought.

"Why do all these books that were written by the Sanguis talk about blood purity? It's so dumb!"

"Keep a close eye out for things like that. It might be important." Kane said pointedly, and Karin waved him off, her eyes never straying from the book in her hands.

"Yeah yeah, I'm paying attention. Doesn't make it any less stupid."

Before fighting Pain, Kane would've agreed wholeheartedly with the girl. He'd found _her_ blood to be even more pure than the Sanguis', after all.

And yet, he'd _found her blood to be more pure._ Didn't that mean, purity really was a thing? Just because the Sanguis aren't the purest, doesn't mean that purity doesn't exist.

He wasn't sure.

* * *

"Okay, so, no matter what it is I'm reading, it seems that this fascination with 'blood purity' your clan had really does have a strong connection with clans. Apparently, if you were clanless, you were even worse than the most hated of clans by the Sanguis. 'Impure' is the word they keep throwing around." Karin droned on, and Kane simply listened to her.

Kane didn't know what he was looking for, exactly, but he knew it would be a person. Someone with the purest blood of them all.

Apparently, that meant it was most likely someone who was apart of a clan.

Which made sense.

Except...

"Was the Sage of the Six Paths part of a clan?" Kane asked idly, and Karin blinked in surprise before turning her eyes towards him, glaring.

"How should I know?"

Kane shrugged.

* * *

"The Sanguis were obsessed with blood. This is so gross." Karin wrinkled her nose in disgust as Kane raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"Apparently, these savages practiced direct incest!"

Kane raised an eyebrow, " _Direct_ incest?"

Karin nodded, "Yeah! I mean, a lot of clans practice incest... The Uzumaki did it too, according to my mother. It's fairly common. But it's never direct!"

"Mind explaining what you mean by direct? I didn't even know clans practiced incest in general." Kane drawled, and Karin looked at him in surprise.

"What? How could you not know?! It's common knowledge!"

Kane shrugged, and Karin huffed.

"Direct incest is incest with direct family... Brother's and sister's, parents and children, grandparents and children, that sort of thing. Indirect is like... Cousins. Or maybe an aunt or uncle and niece or nephew."

"What's the difference?"

"Problematic children, low fertility rate, Kami there's so much more I don't even feel like getting into it... Basically, it's hard to conceive, and when you _do_ conceive, the child is usually screwed up pretty badly."

Kane stared at her blankly, "Is that so?"

Karin nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah! Your clan did that, too! It's taboo, even among other clans. It's just wrong!"

Kane continued watching her, "Yeah. I guess so."

"Kami, can you imagine the kinds of children that must've been born in the Sanguis clan?! They're probably so screwed up, the ones that are born through direct incest! I'd feel bad for them, if their very birth wasn't unholy to begin with."

Kane said nothing to that.

* * *

"So the further down the line we get, the less pure each generation becomes. That's the basic idea behind the Sanguis clan, which is why they practiced direct incest." Karin lectured, and Kane nodded.

 _'So, each generation is less pure than the last. More mutations, more dirty blood, less purity... What if the person I'm looking for doesn't exist anymore?'_

The thought unsettled him.

He wouldn't think about that.

* * *

"Ugh, Kane, I'm sorry but, your clan had some disgusting ideals."

Kane nodded, "I know."

"Thank Kami you don't agree with them!"

"Yeah."

He didn't agree with them, that was for sure.

And yet here he was, trying to discover something about Naibu Sanguis.

Ironic.

* * *

"How come you never told me about the Blood Well?" Karin asked curiously, and Kane shrugged.

"There was never a need, I guess."

Karin hummed, "Well, apparently, Naibu could come and go from it as he pleased. Can you do that?"

Kane hesitated, "Not always, but recently, yeah."

"Wait, is that the reason you'd spend so much time unconscious after drinking blood?" Karin asked with realization.

"Yeah."

"You were asleep for days, right?" Karin asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, apparently, Naibu didn't have to stay unconscious for very long... Seconds, in fact."

Kane gaped.

"What?"

* * *

Kane scowled.

There really was no information on _how_ Naibu did half the shit he could do. It was frustrating.

The information on him didn't even mention how the guy let his little sister's blood flow through the blood well, which almost always kills you.

Clearly, these books were lacking in the information department.

The thought frustrated him to no end.

* * *

"Naibu was looking for a person!" Karin explained as the two walked into the library one morning.

Kane raised an eyebrow, "How do you know it's a person?"

"I asked around the village! Apparently he'd said so before he killed your clan! Something about wanting to find the Sanguis that could bring him to perfection. Whatever that means..."

Kane nodded.

Naibu had thought _he_ was that person, after all.

Kane wondered who he would end up believing was the one.

He hoped he chose correctly.

* * *

So, Kane was looking for a person. That much he knew. There was someone out there, he hoped, that had the blood purity he sought.

Naibu thought it was him. He thought it was someone that wasn't a Sanguis.

Regardless of their opinions on who it was, one thing was for certain.

Both he and Naibu were searching for the same person.

Kane would just have to succeed where Naibu failed.

He just had to find them.

* * *

The person he was searching for... He wanted them for their blood, right? For their purity?

But that didn't make sense, did it? Even if he found them, and they were the purest of the pure, what then? He drinks their blood, and...

What?

The whole idea behind this was to grow stronger. Drinking Pain's blood had brought him ecstasy, power, and unlocked his Wind Ninjutsu. So drinking the purest person's blood should do even more than that, right?

But the idea behind this strength was purity. His blood would be impure when compared to this person, undoubtedly.

So... What? Was he supposed to, somehow, trade blood with the guy, or girl?

Wouldn't that make him a mutation, though? Just like Kabuto.

The thought revolted him.

None of these questions did Kane have an answer for.

He figured the only way to find out... Was to find them.

Find them, and drink their blood.

* * *

"What will you do, after you find whatever it is we're looking for?" Karin asked carefully, and Kane turned to look at her.

"I'm more focused on finding it than I am on what I'll do after." He responded simply, and Karin sighed.

"You know what I mean, Kane."

Kane scowled, "Why do you keep bringing up Konoha? You know how I feel about that place, and I'm getting sick and tired of you telling me I should go back. It's getting old, Karin."

"Look, Kane, the entire reason I even joined you in the first place was because I wanted to get you to go back to Konoha."

"Well, it's not happening." Kane snapped.

"Really?" Karin asked with a sad frown, and Kane sighed.

"Look, I don't know. I have no idea what the future holds, I sure as hell didn't think I'd be here in Hoshi... Maybe I'll return one day, maybe I won't. As of right now, It's the furthest thing from my mind, Karin. I have no plans on ever returning, as it stands."

Karin sighed sadly, "And you won't even think about going back after you find this thing, will you?"

"No. Not until I actually find it. Only then, will I look forward."

Karin closed her eyes in frustration, before nodding in acceptance.

Kane gave her a curious look, and she blinked in confusion.

"What?" She asked.

"The whole reason you joined me was to get me to go back, and I just told you I don't plan on doing it anytime soon, and for the first time... You accepted that."

Karin looked annoyed, "Yeah, so?"

"So what's keeping you here?" Kane asked, straightforward. His face was blank, emotionless.

Karin knew better.

"You are, you idiot." She rolled her eyes, and Kane looked surprised.

"I am?"

"Yeah. I care about you, moron. You're practically family at this point."

Karin began perusing the pages of the book in front of her once again, so she missed the small smile Kane let slip passed his lips.

* * *

"That's it, then. We've been through every book in the library that talks about your clan, Naibu, or anything on the Sage of the Six Paths. We even went through a few on the history of Hoshi, which were all duds." Karin sighed, relieved to finally be finished.

Kane nodded.

It was both a blessing and a curse that this library was so small. A blessing, because in just six days they'd managed to go through everything they needed to. A curse, because he wished he'd found more.

He knew he was searching for a person. That person would have the purity he sought. Somehow, this purity would lead him to this... 'Perfection', that Naibu sought.

He knew the person was, most likely, apart of a clan. The bigger clans were more likely to be the one he was searching for. The more powerful the clan, the more likely they were to have pure blood. At least, this is what he believed to be true... The Uzumaki's were the purest he'd ever had, after all.

He knew that, regardless of who they were and what he did, he would have to drink their blood. It was the only way to establish a true connection.

Kane wondered if, perhaps, he should allow their blood to mix into his Blood Well. Like Naibu.

He'd probably die if he did, and Kane desperately wanted to avoid going that far to begin with. He may be walking down the same path Naibu did, but it was the one thing that truly separated them. Kane wanted to keep it that way.

So, he had his new mission.

Kane was going to travel across the Elemental Nations, searching for the one with the purest blood.

He'd track down every clan that could possibly be pure, and he would taste their blood.

It's funny, really.

He finally got rid of Akatsuki, and yet here he was, preparing for another hunt.

 _'Once you have run out of enemies, you will have nothing... So you will find more. You will find enemy after enemy to fight, until finally, you find one you cannot vanquish. You will die, and your life and struggles will have been meaningless.'_

Itachi's words resonated within his mind.

Perhaps he'd been right.

But, really...

Did it matter?

"Then there is nothing left for us here." Kane spoke with finality, standing up and turning to face Karin.

Karin looked surprised at his sudden movement, "What?"

"We're leaving Hoshi. There's no point in staying here any longer. Besides, I think I know exactly where we're going to next." Kane said, possibilities running through his mind.

Oh yeah, he knew _exactly_ who's blood he'd be testing first.

He doubted they actually held the purity he sought, but still...

It would be the perfect beginning for his new goal.

"Wait, it's the middle of the afternoon! Today is the last day before the Hoshikage tries to send you on missions, so shouldn't we wait until tonight? Leave under the cover of darkness?"

"Probably." Kane acquiesced.

Karin gave him an annoyed look, "Then why?"

Kane smirked.

"Because I'm a Sanguis."

* * *

"Where are you going?" The deep voice sneered from behind them, menacingly.

Kane and Karin turned around, and Kane raised an eyebrow in faux amusement.

The Hoshikage stood in front of them, a dozen Jounin standing behind him, and he could see that they were quickly drawing the attention of the rest of the village as well.

"I'm leaving." Kane said blandly, as if he were talking about the weather.

The Hoshikage sneered, "No you're not. You're a Hoshi ninja, and tomorrow I'll be giving you your first mission."

Kane smirked at that, "I've changed my mind. I got what I came here for."

"You're the last of the Sanguis clan, and we've shown you nothing but hospitality. You would go back on your word?"

"Yeah. I never planned on staying here to begin with."

The Hoshikage sighed as he shook his head.

"Such a shame."

He held up a hand in a chopping motion, and the Jounin behind him tensed, ready for a fight. Several other Jounin, Chunin, and even a few Genin could be seen moving closer.

The entire village would turn hostile.

Kane pulled his backpack off, tossing it towards Karin. The girl caught it, a worried look on her face, as Kane cracked his neck.

"Are you sure about this?" Kane asked calmly.

The Hoshikage stared at him.

Then, he brought his hand down.

* * *

She was shaking.

 _Kami, she couldn't stop shaking._

Slowly, she reached her hand up, gently brushing her fingertips against her cheek. She pulled her hand back, and felt bile rise in her throat at the thick, red substance that was now displayed brightly on her fingers.

She was going to puke.

Oh, wait, she really was.

Karin leaned to the side and hurled, the wet sound of vomit landing on the ground the only thing her brain could process.

That, and the sound of a roaring fire.

She was having flashbacks. She hadn't seen anything like... Like _this,_ since she and her mother were on the run, back when she was a small child.

She hated it.

She hated it, hated it, _hated it!_

Was she trembling?

She was.

Slowly, the girl stood, and she realized her entire body was stained in crimson.

The fact that almost none of it was her own, didn't change a thing.

Karin turned dead, lifeless eyes onto the form of Kane, his back to her as he stared out along the streets of Hoshi.

Corpses everywhere.

 _Everywhere._

She stared at Kane, unmoving. Unfeeling.

Not a speck of blood could be found on Kane, unsurprisingly. The guy could control blood, after all.

For the first time since she first witnessed his Kekkei Genkai, Karin felt disgust and horror over it.

Over Kane.

She idly placed her hand on the wound. A cut, large and deep, straight from a katana.

Kane hadn't realized what was happening until it was too late. A Jounin managed to catch her, slicing her side with a katana and causing her to cry out in pain.

That had been the end of everything.

She'd watched, horrified, as Kane began cutting every Hoshi ninja down, ripping each and every single person's blood from their bodies, turning said blood into various weapons, and repeating the process.

Over and over and over again.

Karin leaned over, and hurled again.

She placed her hands on her knees, gasping for breath as tears streamed down her face.

Even now, she could feel Kane's will, her blood remaining within her body despite the large wound on her side.

She'd rather be bleeding.

Kami, she kept throwing up, and yet she didn't feel much. Slight disgust, slight horror, all aimed at Kane.

But nothing else.

She just...

Felt nothing.

She couldn't handle it. She couldn't, she couldn't, _she couldn't!_

Kane turned around to face her, his face contorted in slowly dissipating fury as he panted, and the two locked eyes.

She leaned back, and she screamed.

A deep, painful screech aimed towards both Kane, and everything she'd just witnessed.

Kane's expression faltered, but he steeled himself as he began approaching her.

She took several quick, fearful steps back, and Kane froze.

 _"Stay away from me!"_ She screamed, and Kane's eyes widened in horror at her reaction.

He watched her, as she continued letting out the occasional sob, the redhead wiping her her face.

Slowly, he willed the blood around her body into the air, removing the liquid from her as it was summarily tossed onto the ground.

Karin glanced down, seeing herself no longer coated in red, and let out a shaky, relieved sigh.

That helped.

A lot.

Kane watched the girl for an unknown amount of time, as she managed to collect herself.

She looked at Kane, and stared at him blankly.

"Sorry." She whispered, and Kane shook his head slowly.

"There's no need." He whispered back, and Karin glanced behind him towards the street.

Bodies, burning buildings, it was complete mayhem. The largest building, the one the Hoshikage claimed as his office, was engulfed in a fire so large it was practically roaring. The crackling of the flames reminded Karin too much of times she'd thought were long gone.

Karin slowly stood up straight, letting out another shaky breath as she locked eyes with Kane.

Kane hesitated, but then he began walking towards her.

She didn't flinch away this time.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, his face blank.

She just nodded.

He glanced down at the wound in her side, and frowned.

"It'll heal, given time."

Karin stared at him blankly before pulling out a roll of bandages, and quickly wrapping her wound.

She felt the moment he stopped manipulating her blood, and she cringed slightly as the bandages quickly became stained red.

Karin looked back to him to find his eyes still observing her, and she took a shaky breath.

"I-"

The sound of the Hoshikage's building collapsing interrupted her, and she jumped in fright at the loud boom it emitted.

Kane didn't so much as blink, staring at her passively.

She turned back to him, and her eyes watered again.

"I can't do this, Kane." She whispered, and he didn't react.

The two stared at each other, neither saying a word.

She knew she'd have to be the one to break the silence.

"You killed them..." She whispered.

Kane nodded, "Yeah."

"Kami, you killed _so many, Kane."_

"They were going to kill us, Karin."

"You-"

"We've killed before, Karin! _I've_ killed before! This isn't the first time we've had to take the lives of ninja that threatened us!" Kane snapped suddenly, anger in his eyes.

" _No!_ Usually, you make Hidan do it! Or even Kabuto! You don't-"

"So?! Isn't that the same thing, Karin?! I gave the order! I let them kill those ninja! It's the same thing!" He nearly roared, and it was the first time he'd ever yelled at her.

She screamed right back.

 _"Look at this place, Kane! Look at it!"_

"They got what they deserved! They attacked us, tried to kill us!"

"How will this place ever recover?! It's not Konoha, Kane!"

"It's not like I went out of my way to destroy everything! There are still plenty of buildings left! Everything was self-defense, Karin! I was defending us! I didn't kill any civilians, I didn't chase down any ninja that fled, I didn't do _anything wrong!"_

 _"Nothing wrong?!"_ She screamed at the top of her lungs, and she let out a strangled sob as she hugged herself.

Kane's face softened as she began crying, reaching out to her slowly.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she didn't pull away.

Kane closed his eyes as he pulled her to him tightly, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.

Karin wrapped her arms around his stomach, shaking slightly as the two held each other.

Neither knew how long they stood there, the crackling sounds of buildings on fire the only noise that could be heard.

 _"I can't do this, Kane..."_ Karin whispered into his shoulder, and Kane tightened his hold on the girl.

"Can't do what?" Kane whispered back, just as quietly.

 _"This..._ All of it. I just... I can't keep going, Kane."

Slowly, Kane let the Uzumaki girl go, and she took a small step back as she rubbed her left eye one last time. Her eyes were bloodshot and bags were visible beneath them.

Kane stared at her sadly, and nodded.

"I understand." He whispered, and Karin bit her lip as she started shaking again.

"I'm sorry..."

He shook his head, "I already told you... Don't be."

She gave him one last, pleading look.

With no hope discernible in her eyes.

"Will you go back to Konoha?"

Kane closed his eyes tightly, and Karin smiled sadly before he even gave his answer.

"I can't... I have to keep going, Karin. I have to figure everything out."

Karin glanced behind him again, at the destruction and desolation he'd wrought.

"Things are only going to get harder, Kane... You know that?"

He did. She knew he did.

"I won't stop. _Nothing_ will stop me." Kane said, and Karin recognized the look in his eye immediately.

The look he'd had when he spoke of hunting the Akatsuki. The look he had right before battling a tough opponent. The look he had when speaking of his goal of survival.

The look he had when he refused to let them flee the Hidden Rain, forcing them to fight against Pain.

Karin shook her head sadly.

 _"Goodbye, Kane..."_

And Kane watched as she slowly walked away. He watched her as she left the gates of the village. He watched her as she walked down the street, and up the hill. He watched her as she disappeared from his line of sight. He watched her, until she was gone.

She never turned around.

* * *

End of Chapter 83


	87. Chapter 84

Karin let out a sigh as she trudged along the road dejectedly.

She'd thought that, when she finally made her way back to Tani, it would be with a bright smile and a pat on the back, courtesy of herself, for a job well done.

She didn't think it would be a return with a miserable failure hanging over her head like a dark, stormy cloud.

Maybe she'd been too hasty, leaving Kane behind...

No, she hadn't.

She'd been having doubts for a while now. Doubts about whether or not Kane would actually listen to her. Doubts about whether or not he even needed her around.

Kane was stronger than she'd ever thought he could be, back when he first showed up at her house.

He didn't need her anymore.

Maybe he never had to begin with.

Still, she'd continued following him. She cared about the bastard, as annoying as that thought was.

But to see so much death, all by his hand, it just...

It reminded her of her time before Tani. Before Naru-chan. Before _peace._

She never wanted to go back.

And that's what it felt like, watching Kane. It felt like the constant stress and fear for her own life. The constant death, the blood flying through the air as people died, the fire and flames as ninja wreaked havoc.

She couldn't handle that.

Not again.

Karin knew Kane had done it to protect them, but it didn't change anything. There was always another way! He could've not killed them, but instead knocked them out. He could've just _listened_ to her, and they would've left at night and never had to go through that in the first place! He could've...

It didn't matter anymore.

Kane no longer needed her. He could take care of himself, and she wasn't going to be able to talk him out of his new... Obsession.

And, really, who's to say that it'll end there?

What if, after finding _whatever_ the hell he's looking for, something _else_ comes up?

It could all be one huge, vicious cycle, wherein Kane never comes home.

She couldn't be apart of that any longer. She couldn't walk down that tightrope Kane seemed so comfortable with, threading the line between acceptable and non-acceptable actions.

She wanted to go home, someday. Back to Tani.

Kane didn't care if he was allowed back to Konoha or not.

Therein lies the difference. Karin wanted to go home eventually, Kane did not. He was okay with doing these things that could cause him to be shunned forever. She was not.

Eventually, if he kept it up, he was going to do something unforgivable.

She couldn't be apart of that.

There was no way he'd listen to her anyway. He was going to do what he wanted to do, her opinion be damned. He'd made that clear. If she stayed with him, then when the time came...

He'd drag her down with him.

Whether he wanted to or not, he would.

All she could do now, was wish him luck.

Karin sighed sadly as she realized she wasn't too far from Tanigakure now. Maybe a days walk. Maybe two. Either way, it was getting dark, and she'd need to make camp for the night.

Karin hoped that she'd be forgiven. She was a Missing Ninja now, but Tani owed her and her mother so much. They'd saved countless lives, and she had the bite marks across her body to prove it.

She really hoped she'd been right, back when she told her mother that they would take her back in a heartbeat.

As the redhead started setting up camp in a decent location in the forest, she paused as she realized something important.

She was still wearing Kane's backpack.

Karin placed the sack down on the ground and frowned. She'd completely forgotten about it, after all the chaos.

Her stomach growled, and she groaned. She didn't have anything to eat.

Maybe Kane had something.

As the Uzumaki girl started digging through his backpack, she blinked in surprise as she pulled out a scroll. She unrolled it, and furrowed her brows in confusion.

What was Kane doing with a Wind Ninjutsu scroll? She'd never seen him use Wind Ninjutsu.

She scoffed, knowing it was probably just another thing he'd never told her about.

The thought hurt.

As she kept digging through the backpack, she paused as she felt something peculiar at the very bottom.

She pulled it out, and froze.

* * *

Kankuro smiled up at the sky, the dark clouds a good omen in the middle of the blazing afternoon in Sunagakure.

"Think it'll rain?" He asked Temari, and his sister gave a huge grin as well.

"It looks like it!" She beamed.

It didn't rain often in Suna. Very rarely, in fact. The buildings in Suna were made out of clay and stucco, which helped keep it cool inside. This was necessary, as living in the desert where it seldom rained could be quite difficult in terms of staying cool.

When it did rain, however, the entire village loved it. Spirits would be high, people would be out dancing in the middle of the storm, shops would close to allow workers to enjoy the weather. Suna was one of the greatest places in the world to be when it rained, simply due to the morale of the entire village.

Already, morale was rising. People were happier than usual, more outgoing, and everyone continued to speak of the weather, wondering when exactly Kami would bless them with rain.

"Is Gaara going to come enjoy the weather, when it rains?" Kankuro asked curiously. His little brother had been so busy lately, what with dealing with the political ramifications of 'dying' and having to prove to the other villages that he was both alive, and still deadly. Suna couldn't afford to show weakness, especially after losing the war against Konoha three years ago.

Damned Orochimaru had tricked them, and it was the shame of the entire village.

Fortunately, Konoha had forgiven them quite smoothly. The attack had been a _complete_ disaster, what with both Jiraiya of the Sannin and the Yellow Flash being present in the village at the same time. Suna suffered far more than Konoha did for their little attack, and once it was revealed that it was Orochimaru, a Leaf Village Missing Ninja that orchestrated the entire thing, Konoha had been quick to forgive them.

In fact, Konoha was their closest ally now. They'd not only forgiven Suna, but they'd _protected_ Suna for the entire duration of them being Kage-less. It was the only reason Suna hadn't been forced to rush into choosing the next Kazekage.

It was the only reason Gaara had been given the time he needed to prove himself to the village, and earn the title himself.

Kankuro smiled at the thought of his little brother.

He really had changed.

And it was all thanks to Naruko Namikaze.

"Yeah, Gaara said he'd come out soon. He has a bit more paperwork to file first."

Kankuro grinned at that.

He enjoyed spending time with his little brother, after all.

* * *

"Hmm... That's crazy, yo. The thought is definitely messing with my flo~! That's fo' sho~!"

"Is it really, Bee? What do you care?" Karui, a red headed woman with amber eyes, asked curiously.

"I met that Sanguis! He did as he pleased! I thought I'd finally met Nine, but I guess it wasn't time~! Oh Yeah!"

Killer Bee whipped out his black book as he began writing again.

"That's not all." Omoi spoke up, and Killer Bee turned to him curiously, his pen halting its movement.

Omoi continued, "I know you're just hearing about him not being a Jinchuriki, Bee, but we've known for a few days now. There's something else even more interesting than that."

"What could that Bee? Heh," Killer Bee smirked at his pun as Kamui rolled her eyes.

"Apparently, that guy wrecked a Hidden Village recently."

Karui looked at the man in shock as Bee turned serious.

"What the hell do you mean, Omoi?!" Karui snapped, and Omoi sighed tiredly.

"Kane Sanguis was alive, as you both know, and apparently he was in Bear Country. Hoshigakure, to be more specific."

Killer Bee rubbed his chin thoughtfully as Karui continued scowling, "What was he doing there?"

Omoi shrugged, "Who knows? Who cares? All that matters is he's not there anymore... If it's even still a village."

"He destroyed Hoshi?" Karui asked curiously.

"Well, kind of. He mostly just destroyed a large part of it, and killed off a lot of their ninja. Including their Kage, I might add."

Be nodded, "Yeah, that Kane was strong! Trust me, I know, I fought him myself, I'm not wrong~!"

Omoi shrugged, having never met the guy himself, "Either way, I don't think anybody else really knows... Except Hoshi, obviously. The only reason we know is because we're so skilled at subterfuge and espionage."

Karui nodded, a proud smile on her face, "Of course! Nobody gets information as quickly or efficiently as Kumo!"

Killer Bee went off on a rap tangent about Kumogakure, spies and something to do with food.

The other two ignored him.

Karui snickered, and Bee and Omoi looked at her in confusion.

"That's not a laughing matter." Omoi stated seriously.

"I'm not laughing about that!" She snapped.

"What's so funny, then?"

"Konoha has been protecting that Kane bastard for so long, now! Claiming he was a Jinchuriki and they wanted him back!"

"Yeah, so?" Omoi asked with narrowed eyes.

"He's not a Jinchuriki anymore! And now he's destroyed a Hidden Village!"

Killer Bee's face darkened slightly as he caught on to her meaning.

Karui gave a cruel smirk.

"I can't wait to see how they try to defend the bastard now!"

* * *

"Come on, get off your ass. You're gonna fall asleep." Izumo sighed, and Kotetsu groaned.

"Come on, Izumo. We're here every day, and nothing ever happens. Let me take a little nap... This is a one person job to begin with."

Izumo glared down at his best friend, "No. Get up, Kotetsu."

The man sighed but did as he was told.

"I don't get why you're so high strung about all of this."

"It's our job." Izumo said flatly.

Kotetsu grumbled irritably.

"Look, all I'm saying-"

Izumo put up his hand in a silencing gesture, before pointing down the road.

Kotetsu froze at the sight.

"That's definitely no civilian." Izumo whispered heatedly, his eyes narrowed, and Kotetsu nodded.

"Definitely a ninja, and no headband in sight... A Missing Ninja..."

The two tensed, ready to call for backup at a moments notice.

The person approached, staring at them with trepidation.

"Hi..."

"State your name and business here!" Kotetsu growled, and Izumo nodded in agreement.

"I'd like... To speak with your Hokage."

"A Missing Ninja just walks up and asks to speak with the Hokage?" Kotetsu whispers, and Izumo shrugs.

"What's your name?"

The person hesitated for a moment.

"Karin Uzumaki."

* * *

"Thanks," Karin said with a shaky smile as she accepted the glass of water.

Ibiki huffed as he walked back to his seat, sitting down next to Minato Namikaze.

The blonde gave the girl a disarming smile, "I'd like to thank you again for telling us everything, Karin-chan."

The redhead gave a small smile in return, "Of course. I owe you a lot, Hokage-sama."

Minato shook his head, "Please, call me Minato. You're family, after all."

Her smile widened slightly at that.

"Speaking of family... Where is Naru-chan?" Karin asked curiously, and Minato gave her a guilty smile in return.

"Ah, she's unavailable at the moment."

Karin frowned, "Oh. When will she be available?"

"Unfortunately, I don't know."

Karin's frown deepened.

"You look more upset over that than you should be." Ibiki pointed at, his glare harsh, and Karin flinched slightly.

"Err... Well, you see, I kind of came here specifically to see Naru-chan..."

Minato nodded, "Would you mind telling us why?"

Karin shook her head, "I'd rather tell Naru-chan."

Ibiki looked angered by the girls words, but before he could say something Minato held up his hand.

"It's alright, Ibiki. She's been nothing but helpful since she got here, and she'd never wish my daughter harm. Let her keep some things to herself."

Ibiki didn't like it, but he nodded in agreement.

"In the meantime, I will keep my end of the bargain. I'll contact Tani's kage personally, and try to get them to accept you back. It's the least I can do after you told us about Kane-kun being alive."

"And what he did to Hoshi." Ibiki snapped harshly, and Minato gave the scar faced man a pointed look, making him back off.

"You're free to wander the village until I receive word, Karin-chan."

"Hokage-sama! I don't think that-"

"She's family, Ibiki. She's also an Uzumaki. She deserves to be treated with respect."

"But she's also a Missing Ninja, Hokage-sama!" Ibiki countered, and Minato smiled at the redheaded Uzumaki at that.

"Yes, but if all goes well, she won't be for much longer."

Ibiki relented.

"Err..." Karin hesitated, and Minato gave the girl another small smile.

"Go ahead, Karin-chan."

"If I can't see Naru-chan, then..."

The two waited patiently for her to finish.

"Can I see Sasuke Uchiha?"

* * *

"You're Karin Uzumaki. Naruko's cousin." Sasuke said flatly, and Karin flinched slightly at the mildly hostile tone. The two of them stood at Training Grounds 3, the training spot of Team 7.

"Yeah, that's me..."

"You were with the Dead Last." Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing.

Karin looked confused, "Who?"

"Kane." Sasuke replied with an eyeroll, and the girl looked surprised.

"Oh."

"Did he send you?" Sasuke asked seriously, and once again Karin found herself confused.

"What?" She asked stupidly.

"Did he send you? Are you here, asking for me, because he wanted you to tell me something?"

"Um, no..." Karin replied slowly, and Sasuke scowled.

"Then why are you wasting my time?"

Karin felt rage at the boy standing in front of her.

Cuteness be damned!

"Listen here, bastard, I won't have you speaking to me that way! Especially after I came all the way to Konoha instead of going back to Tani, specifically to see Naru-chan and you! You have no right to treat me this way, especially after everything I've gone through recently!" Karin snapped, working herself up. She quickly rubbed her eyes, unexpected tears of frustration rolling down her cheeks.

Her goodbye with Kane was still too raw. Too fresh. It was getting to her, and that fact annoyed her more than anything else.

Sasuke looked guilty and abashed.

"Sorry." He mumbled, and Karin placed her hands on her hips as she glared at him heatedly.

"That's more like it!"

The two locked eyes. Sasuke looked away for a moment, and Karin felt she'd won another battle of wills at that.

"So why did you ask for me?" He asked, and Karin relaxed slightly as she pulled her backpack off.

Kane's backpack.

She rummaged through it for a few moments, and Sasuke looked down at her in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

"This is Kane's backpack. I forgot to give it back to him. Everything in here belongs to him." She said, never taking her eyes off from the inside of the backpack as she continued rummaging through it.

Sasuke grew serious again as he eyed the backpack curiously.

Then, Karin pulled something out, before handing it to Sasuke.

His eyes widened.

* * *

"There's no point in protecting the boy any longer! He's not a Jinchuriki. Now that we _all-"_ Hiashi Hyuuga glared at Minato for a moment, the instance so quick that most people would've thought they imagined it, "are aware of this information, there's no need for us to continue coddling him."

"I agree." Inoichi huffed.

"I disagree." The Inuzuka matriarch barked out, and everyone looked at the woman in surprise.

"Since when do you defend the Sanguis brat? You've always hated him." Hiashi said with a suspicious glare, and Tsume Inuzuka gave a small smirk at that.

"Let's just say, my son managed to change my mind."

This had been going on for quite some time, now. Arguments over Kane Sanguis.

Minato closed his eyes in frustration.

 _'Damnit, Kane-kun...'_

Kane Sanguis was alive. Minato was aware of this, thanks to two of his Anbu attempting to capture him recently, but nobody else knew.

Now, they all knew.

But that wasn't the problem here. The problem was _how_ they knew. Karin Uzumaki told them he was alive.

She told them exactly what happened at Hoshi.

"The boy practically destroyed a Hidden Village! We cannot continue to defend his actions to the other villages, especially now that we have no reason to!" One of the elders, Homura, spoke heatedly. It was rare to see the man so worked up over something like this, but the debate had been going on for far too long at this point.

"The boy has done no harm to Konoha. I say we keep him on the Capture on Sight list, so that one day he may return."

Surprisingly to everyone in the room, those were the words of Danzo Shimura.

Hiashi gestured towards Fugaku Uchiha, "No harm? Do you not see Fugaku-san, Danzo? The boy attacked a clan head, teamed up with Orochimaru, and-"

"And has been killing off Akatsuki members, who are now our enemy." Tsume pointed out.

"If you're so concerned with my eye, and the boy's slight against the Uchiha clan, then allow me to address them." Fugaku said, standing up.

Everyone turned to look at the man curiously, wondering what he'd say. Fugaku Uchiha has always been a stout defender of Kane Sanguis, even before he left the village. Despite that, the man had kept his opinions to himself ever since losing his eye because of the boy.

"The Uchiha clan will demand punishment from the boy." Fugaku spoke coldly, and Hiashi smirked as Tsume glared.

"So you would see us put him on the Kill On Sight list, Fugaku-san?" Minato asked calmly. He was required to be impartial to this meeting. It wouldn't do well to take Kane's side, especially considering his deeds in Hoshi. It would be considered bias by many, even by some of the few who would support him.

The entire village was aware of his daughter's devotion towards bringing the boy home, after all.

"No." Fugaku responded, and Hiashi scowled.

"You would see us punish the boy, but keep him on Capture On Sight?"

"I would not see _us_ punish the boy. His transgressions were against the _Uchiha._ I would see him punished, after he was to return to the village."

Minato had to hold back a smirk at that.

As Shikaku began voicing his opinion, his good mood evaporated.

They would be here for quite a while, Minato could tell.

* * *

He was shaking, his fists clenched tightly.

A hand came to rest across his shoulder, and he felt the urge to shake it off, but held himself back.

"Sasuke, relax." Kakashi spoke calmly, and Sasuke's scowl deepened as he growled. Karin jumped back slightly at the sound, and Sai just continued to watch him carefully.

"Relax? _Relax?_ How can you be so calm about this, Kakashi?!"

"Getting angry won't solve anything. What would your father think?" Kakashi asked, and Sasuke grit his teeth in annoyance.

"It doesn't _matter._ All that matters, is _this."_ Sasuke growled lowly as the paper in his hands crumbled up slightly.

Kakashi glanced over his shoulder at the paper sadly.

The paper declaring Kane Sanguis to no longer be a D-Ranked Missing Ninja, but instead to be S-Ranked.

And declaring him Kill On Sight.

* * *

Kane glanced down at the paper in his hands, one eyebrow raised.

' _Boring.'_ Kane thought to himself before tossing the paper aside, allowing it to fall gently down to the floor.

He plopped himself up on the desk as he picked up another piece of paper, scanning it boredly.

Not like he had anything else to do right now.

He was simply waiting.

As he continued to scan the contents of what appeared to be a letter, his mind drifted off.

Really, he didn't know why he was here, of all places.

Well, that wasn't true, he supposed.

Kane needed to find the person with the purest blood. How was he supposed to do that? It was a monumental task, he knew.

But there was one thing that would help him narrow down his options.

Confirm that the person he was searching for, was from a clan.

He knew that most likely the person he was searching for would be an Uzumaki. Karin had been one, as had Pain, and their bloods were both the purest he'd ever tasted.

At the same time, he'd never really had the blood of any other notable clans, had he?

Maybe he wasn't so sure it would be an Uzumaki after all.

Regardless, knowing the person was apart of a clan would help him tremendously. He just needed to confirm that fact.

So how would he do that? Well, he'd thought about that, and his only solution had been quite simple, really.

Taste the blood of the purest, clanless, living person in the world.

Easier said than done. Who would that person be? And how would he know for sure they were clanless? A person could easily have a clan member as a close relative, even if it was something as simple as having a grandparent that was from a clan. He wasn't positive, but he was pretty sure that would have an effect on their purity.

A positive effect, probably, but still an effect.

Realistically, his first choice had been quite clear.

Minato Namikaze. The Fourth Hokage.

Good thing Kane wasn't stupid. He wasn't about to go pick a fight with The Yellow Flash himself.

So then who would his next choice be?

The first person to come to his mind was Killer Bee. The man had been strong, there was no doubt, and he didn't think Killer Bee was part of a clan.

Those thoughts led him to think of the Raikage, A. He'd heard many stories of the man's prowess, after all.

But, no, there was someone better.

Someone _perfect._

Kane glanced up from the paper as he felt the Chakra signature of somebody walking towards the room he was in.

He felt the moment the person hesitated, probably as they were reaching for the doorknob, and he smirked.

Even when he was suppressing his Chakra to the best of his abilities, the person on the other side of that door had detected him.

A sign of a powerful Shinobi.

The door opened slowly, and Kane continued smirking from his perch on the desk.

The very same desk that was owned by the man that was about to be standing before him.

A crop of red filled his vision, followed by green, piercing eyes.

The two stared at each other.

" _Sabaku no Gaara."_

* * *

End of Chapter 84


	88. Chapter 85

Gaara's eyes roamed up and down, and Kane raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I guess you haven't seen me since we were both younger. I've seen you, though."

Gaara's eyes snapped up to him, his face calm and relaxed.

Kane gave a mocking smile, "Yeah, I saw your corpse. The Akatsuki had you. Was a really sad sight."

Still, Gaara said nothing.

Kane felt irritation bubble within him.

"Well? Not gonna say anything?" Kane snapped, and once again he realized how quickly he lost his temper.

"Kane Sanguis." Gaara drawled out slowly, and Kane smirked in response.

"There it is! That voice I haven't heard in so long!"

Gaara glanced at the stack of papers Kane was sitting on top of, and frowned.

"Would you mind getting off? Those are important."

Kane stared at him for several moments.

Then, he sneered, reaching down and grabbing a fistful of papers before ripping them apart in front of Gaara.

Gaara just stared.

"I'm in Wind Country." Kane spoke casually, and Gaara raised an eyebrow.

"I can see that."

"You know what i mean."

Gaara nodded, "I'm impressed you managed to sneak in here, especially as a clone."

Kane gave a condescending smile, "You'd be surprised at what I can do now."

"I'm sure."

"Want to come find out?"

Gaara's eyes narrowed, "What are you trying to achieve, Sanguis? Why are you attempting to draw me out of the village?"

Kane shrugged, "I guess you'll have to come find out."

"I could have you surrounded by Suna ninja very soon, you know."

"As if. I'll be long gone by then. The only reason I'll stick around, is if you come to see me, Sabaku no Gaara. _Alone._ "

"What makes you think I would do that?" Gaara asked curiously, and Kane scoffed.

"Because Naruko would want you to, so you will."

Gaara eyed him up and down curiously.

"Speaking of Naruko Namikaze-"

"No." Kane said flatly, and Gaara raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

"No. You want to talk? Come talk to the real me."

Gaara was about to speak, but then Kane burst into a puddle of water.

He sighed, and then stared in distaste at his now wet desk and paperwork.

* * *

Kane sat on the sand, cross-legged and meditating.

His eyes opened slowly as he stared ahead of him for several seconds. Then, Gaara appeared in a swirl of sand.

' _Was that the shunshin, but with sand? Or something else? Either way, there's no need for such theatrics...'_

Gaara stared him down, and Kane stood up and stretched. Kane threw both arms out as if in greeting.

"Gaara! It's been too long!"

Gaara said nothing.

"Look at you! Wow! The great and powerful Kazekage himself! You've come a long way!" Kane's voice was cheerful, happy.

Fake.

Gaara took two steps forward.

"And you've fallen low, Kane Sanguis."

Kane smirked at that, "Have I? I think I've climbed pretty high."

"Climbed high?" Gaara's eyes snapped to his naked forehead, "Where's your headband then?"

Kane's smile fell away as he glared at Gaara, "At the bottom of a lake."

Gaara shook his head in disappointment.

Kane sneered in response.

"You know, Gaara, when I saw your corpse being hauled around by the Akatsuki, all I could think was 'wow, he sure has fallen.' What happened to you, Gaara? Where's the intimidating, powerful Genin that broke into my home all those years ago? What happened to the guy who could instill fear into everyone around him, even his teammates? What happened to the guy who fought only for himself?"

Gaara stared at him blankly.

"He grew up."

Kane looked at the redhead in astonishment, "What?"

"He grew up, Kane Sanguis. That little boy you remember is gone, and in his place stands a much stronger person."

Blue stared deeply into green.

Then, Kane tilted his head back, and laughed.

"Stronger?! Is that why you died? Because you're stronger?"

Gaara stared at Kane sadly, and the boy halted his guffawing and suddenly glared at Gaara hatefully.

"No, _I've_ grown strong. That little boy _you_ remember is gone, Gaara."

Gaara shook his head, "Naruko would be so disappointed in you, Kane Sanguis."

Kane tensed.

"There's nothing to be disappointed in! I've grown strong! I've survived! And I'll continue to do _both_ of those things, too!"

"You cannot grow strong if you only fight for yourself." Gaara spoke calmly, and Kane scowled at the redhead.

"Then why am I so strong, Gaara?"

The wind began howling as the two glared at each other.

"I promised Naruko that I would assist her in returning you to Konoha."

Kane sneered, "And I came here looking for you. Once I get what I desire, I'll be on my way."

Gaara looked at him curiously, "And what is it you desire, Kane Sanguis?"

Kane paused as a thoughtful look appeared on his face, and he eyed Gaara up and down.

"You know, I always thought that your sand powers came from your demon."

Gaara raised an eyebrow but kept silent.

"How is it, Gaara, that you died; that you had your demon taken from you, and yet you can still use sand?" Kane asked curiously.

Gaara merely stared at him.

Kane threw both arms out.

"Maybe it's because you're special, Gaara! Maybe there's more to you than meets the eye!" Kane spoke with a huge grin.

Then, he growled lowly as his stance grew aggressive.

"I intend to find out."

Gaara closed his eyes, "It doesn't have to be this way, Sanguis."

"You're wrong."

* * *

Kankuro frowned, "Where's Gaara? It's going to rain soon, and you said he'd be here."

Temari rolled her eyes, "Relax. He said he forgot something back in his office. He'll be here when he settles it."

"Yeah, but can't it wait?"

"He's the Kazekage, Kankuro! Some things are more important than the weather!"

Kankuro huffed and mumbled to himself, but he let the subject drop.

As soon as he turned his back to her, Temari let a frown appear.

She glanced back up towards the Kazekage tower with concern.

' _What are you doing, Gaara?'_

* * *

Gaara watched with arms crossed and narrowed eyes as Kane, his skin red, continued dodging and weaving as tendrils of sand attempted to grab ahold of him.

Every now and then, the sand beneath Kane's feet would attempt to suck him in, but Kane was fast enough and his reflexes smooth enough to counter each and every attempt.

Kane slid across the sand and glanced up as multiple tendrils closed in on him, slamming into the ground and sending dust everywhere around him.

Gaara watched patiently for the dust to clear, and found Kane staring back at him calmly.

"Your eyes are not what I expected them to be." Gaara called out, and Kane looked at the redhead curiously.

"What did you expect?"

Gaara frowned thoughtfully, "I expected them to be full of hatred. Hatred for Konoha, for your village, for the world... For _me."_

Kane scoffed, "Things like that don't interest me."

Gaara nodded approvingly, "I am glad. Hatred is not a bright path. I walked it once before, and never again."

Kane hummed at that, "Maybe you should've kept walking it. You're just one huge disappointment, Gaara."

Gaara furrowed his brows, "Is that so?"

"Yeah. You think you would've died to the Akatsuki if you weren't protecting your stupid village? You've grown soft, Gaara!"

"Bonds do not make you weak. They make you _strong."_ Gaara said, a surprising hint of passion in his voice.

"Yeah, that's what everyone keeps telling me... Right before I pummel them into the dirt, that is."

"The fact that you do not understand, despite being on the very same team as Naruko herself, saddens me greatly." Gaara said with a note of pity.

"Don't feel sad for me, feel sad for yourself. Unlike you, I still fight for myself. I'll continue growing even stronger, Gaara! I want you to watch! Watch and see me grow beyond everyone around me!" Kane spoke with glee.

"What do you fight for, Kane Sanguis?"

Kane rolled his eyes in annoyance, "I just told you, I-"

"You fight for yourself, but to what end?" Gaara cut him off, and Kane frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"What will you do, once you have become the strongest, as you say? What then? You have no goal beyond becoming strong, Kane Sanguis?"

Kane scowled, "It's the only thing that matters right now! After that, I can-"

"You do not hold hatred in your heart. I am glad for that, Kane Sanguis, but perhaps... Perhaps it would have been better if you did."

Kane stared at the redhead in surprise, "What?"

"Even if your goal was something as dark as hatred or vengeance, at least you would have something. You have no ambition to speak of, Sanguis, and perhaps that's an even worse fate."

Kane glared at Gaara, "Think what you want! I'm going to get what I came here for!"

He launched himself at the Kazekage, and Gaara clapped both hands together.

" _Sand Tsunami!"_

* * *

"Okay, something is seriously wrong." Temari whispered, but Kankuro heard her.

"Yeah! We need to go check on Gaara!"

Temari nodded in agreement, and the two took off towards the tower.

' _Gaara... Please be okay! We can't lose you again!'_

* * *

Gaara watched on as Kane grew from a puddle of water, the boy panting as he began growing tired.

"I have made friends." Gaara called out, and Kane looked at the man in confusion.

"Okay...?"

"Before meeting Naruko Namikaze, friend was just a word to me. A stupid, vile word, only used by those lesser than I."

Kane glared as he stood up fully, "You were right."

Gaara shook his head, "I was wrong. Naruko Namikaze taught me the meaning of the word friend. The word friend, and everything it stands for, is important. Perhaps you should reevaluate the worth of that special word, Kane Sanguis."

Kane continued to glare, "It means nothing to me! The only way you can truly grow strong, is if you rely on only yourself!"

"Then why are you losing this fight, Kane Sanguis?"

Kane's face darkened at that.

* * *

Temari burst through the doors, Kankuro right behind her, and she looked on in horror at the mess in Gaara's office.

He always kept things neat and tidy!

 _Always!_

"I told you something was wrong!" Kankuro snapped, and Temari whirled around to face him, causing the boy to recoil with a yell.

"We need to find him!"

* * *

"I am sorry."

Kane froze as Gaara's words struck through him like lightning.

"What?"

Gaara closed his eyes sadly, "I said, I am sorry, Kane Sanguis."

"For what?" Kane asked cautiously.

"It is my fault you have become like this. Had I not revealed the truth to you, or had I revealed it to you in some other way, then perhaps you would not be walking the same path I once walked."

Kane stared at him.

"I am sorry, Kane Sanguis. It is because of my sins that you have gone through such hardship."

Kane glared, "Stop apologizing. If anything, I should be thanking you! If it weren't for you, I never would've left Konoha. I never would've discovered the truth of my clan and its history. I never would've learned about my Kekkei Genkai, I never would've grown strong, and I never would've become the man I am today!"

"And for that, I am sorry." Gaara spoke with true regret, but Kane sneered in response.

"Taking a shot at my character now, are we?"

Gaara simply raised both hands, summoning more sand to him.

"It is because of my mistakes that this has happened, so it falls to me to rectify them."

* * *

Gaara continued flying through the air, standing calmly atop a large body of sand as several large tendrils of water continued attempting to slam into him, only to be intercepted by his own tendrils of sand.

Kane scowled up at him, and Gaara clapped both hands together.

"This fight is over, Sanguis."

Kane gasped as he jumped away, only to find the entire landscape was sinking into the earth.

"What?!"

Gaara watched as Kane began slowly sinking down along with the sand.

' _I'll bury him up to his neck, and then trap him in my Sand Coffin.'_

Kane growled as he threw both arms into the air, and Gaara frowned as a tendril of water flew down and wrapped around his arms, pulling the boy up and out of the sand.

Only for several tendrils of sand to burst forth from the ground, grabbing the boy and dragging him right back down.

He trapped Kane up to his neck in the sand, before slowly raising him into the sky until the two were face to face.

Kane glared at him before glancing over at his several tendrils of water, each one completely encompassed inside giant balls of sand, slowly attempting to soak their way out. Everytime a small amount of water grew close to escaping the sand, the sand would shift in order to keep the water stuck in the middle.

"Water may be my weakness, Sanguis, but this is my domain. The desert provides me with plenty of sand. You could never win here." Gaara stated calmly.

Kane smirked, and Gaara frowned.

"You really have grown soft, Gaara."

His frown deepened.

"I've just been messing around with you, _Kazekage-sama._ "

Gaara relaxed as he stared at him neutrally, "Is that so?"

Kane continued to smirk.

"I fought a man that declared himself to be a God, Gaara."

Gaara's eyebrows furrowed, but he gestured for Kane to continue.

"You don't fight a guy like that, and not pick up a few tricks along the way."

"Is that so?"

"Of course! Did you think I was just meditating when you found me here? No, I was preparing for you, Gaara."

Gaara continued to watch the boy in trepidation as Kane looked far too confident in his words.

"Why do you think I'm already so low on Chakra, Gaara? I haven't actually used any jutsu other than a few Water Bullets, after all."

Gaara looked confused as Kane continued to smirk, and the boy glanced up towards the sky.

Gaara followed his eyes, and froze as he saw the darkened clouds.

He'd completely forgotten it was going to rain today.

"Did you think those clouds were normal, Gaara?" Kane asked with malicious glee, and Gaara's eyes snapped back to his.

"What are you saying?"

"Clouds formed from pure Chakra, and yet the creation of them goes undetected by even the greatest of sensory types. It's quite an incredible jutsu the leader of the Akatsuki created, don't you think?"

Gaara's eyes widened.

"And it's perfect for someone like me, wouldn't you agree?"

Kane glanced up at the sky again, his smirk still in place, and Gaara watched in tense silence as it started to rain.

* * *

The villagers were crying out in sheer joy as they continued to dance in the rain, and for the first time in their lives, neither Temari nor Kankuro joined in on the fun.

They were getting the attention of any Shinobi they could find, ordering them to search for the Kazekage, but it seemed a fruitless endeavor.

They'd never considered it a weakness before, but the rain had halted any semblance of security or protocol Suna might have had.

Their Kage was missing, and the village didn't even know it.

"Shit!" Kankuro said as he punched a wall, and Temari glared at him, her hair matting against her face.

"We don't have time to get angry, Kankuro! We have to keep looking!"

Kankuro grit his teeth in anger, but he nodded, and the two resumed their search.

* * *

The sand was too wet, he couldn't mold it properly. The rainstorm continued to pelt down from the skies, and Gaara found himself continuously being tossed around by tendrils of water like a ragdoll.

His only saving grace was his special sand, directly from his gourd, but it wasn't enough. No matter what, he found there was little time to think and even less time to properly defend himself.

The Sanguis had completely turned the environmental advantage around, and now Gaara found it was _he_ who would prefer to fight somewhere else.

Kane stood atop a huge ball of water, watching with a carefree smile as Gaara attempted to battle the element.

"Do you see the difference, Sabaku no Gaara?!" Kane screamed out over the sound of the rain, and Gaara couldn't even respond properly as he continued dodging the numerous tendrils of water, occasional rain drops and moisture landing on his skin and _burning._

"Do you see how weak you've become?! It's because of your bonds, Gaara! You should've never let Naruko get to you! She made you weak!"

Gaara gasped as a small ball of water soaked through his sand before slamming into his chest, and the man bit back a cry of pain as the water began boiling on top of him.

The Kazekage glanced up and froze, as a giant wave of water, just as large as his earlier sand wave, was about to come crashing down on top of him.

Kane smirked.

"Oh, how the tables have turned." Kane called out, and Gaara found there was no way out.

And the wave consumed him.

* * *

" _Gaara!"_ Temari screamed, and she and Kankuro took off in a sprint towards the downed Kazekage.

Kankuro gasped as he saw a figure standing above his little brother.

" _Gaara!"_

The man pulled out Karasu, launching the puppet towards the figure, but then gasped in surprise when a tendril of water slammed the puppet away.

The person jumped back, putting space between themself and Gaara, and Kankuro quickly put himself between Gaara and the figure, Temari falling to her knees as she began cradling Gaara.

The redhead was fine, Temari was grateful to see, and she let out a deep sigh of relief. His eyes were open and he was staring neutrally at the person Kankuro was squaring off against.

Kankuro's eyes widened at the sight of a brown haired, blue eyed boy standing in front of him, a small ball of red floating in the air in front of him.

"Kane Sanguis?!" Kankuro yelled out in shock, and Temari gasped as she took notice of the identity of the boy for the first time.

Kane ignored the two of them, his eyes on the blood ball floating in front of his face.

The blood of Sabaku no Gaara.

He wanted to drink it. He wanted to drink it so badly.

But he couldn't.

Not here.

Kane knew, if he were to drink the blood, he would go on a rampage. Not only that, but he would end up collapsing at some point as the Blood Well called to him.

He didn't have Karin or Hidan, or even Kabuto. There was nobody to protect him once he went unconscious. Nobody to take care of him.

He was alone.

Kane tore his eyes away from the blood as he stared down towards Gaara.

Gaara stared right back.

"I got what I came here for. Thanks for the help, Gaara. Hopefully this is what I'm looking for."

Gaara began standing up, Temari aiding him, but the redhead gently pushed her away as she looked at him in concern.

"Kane Sanguis... I hope you find what you're looking for." Gaara called out, and Kane raised a curious eyebrow.

"Thanks, I guess. Hopefully this is it right here."

Gaara nodded, "I pray it is, for Naruko's sake."

Kane looked confused, "What? What does she have to do with anything."

Gaara shook his head sadly, "If you continue down this path for much longer, things will only become harder for her."

Kane grew even more confused, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Naruko Namikaze won't stop until she saves you, Kane Sanguis."

Kane scoffed but said nothing.

"Your actions have consequences, Sanguis. Not only for you... But for her."

"My actions are none of her business, nor are they yours, Kazekage." Kane snapped, and Gaara frowned sadly.

"She will continue to fight for you, and the further down this path you go, the harder it will make her life. The harder it becomes to defend you, the worse things will get for Naruko Namikaze, because she won't give up. You know this to be true."

Kane glared at Gaara for a moment.

Then, he turned around, and jumped away.

Temari and Kankuro both looked at Gaara worriedly, and the redhead shook his head.

"Gaara, we should-"

"We are going to return to the village, and the three of us are going to enjoy this beautiful rain while it lasts."

Temari looked shocked, "What?! But Gaara, he-"

"Kane Sanguis has reminded me of something. Something important."

Kankuro frowned curiously, "What did he remind you of?"

Gaara turned to his two siblings, and let out a small smile.

"The value of bonds."

* * *

End of Chapter 85


	89. Chapter 86

His eye snapped to the wall as the plant-like creature began growing out of it.

"Yes, Zetsu?"

"Kane has attacked the Kazekageee!" White Zetsu cried out, and Tobi's eye widened in surprise.

"Oh?"

Black Zetsu chimed in, "Yes. He took some of the ex Jinchuriki's blood, and is now traveling out of Wind Country and back towards Rain Country."

Tobi hummed at that, "What's he doing with the blood?"

Zetsu shook his head, "We don't know."

"Keep an eye on him, and find out."

"Okayyy." White Zetsu moaned.

Tobi chuckled darkly, earning a curious look from Zetsu.

"Kane Sanguis. Everyone knows you are not truly a Jinchuriki, and yet the eyes and ears of the world are on you still."

"He's gone completely wild." White Zetsu said.

"Indeed. Not even free for a week, and the boy has practically destroyed a Hidden Village and attacked the Kazekage." Tobi ticked off the list, malicious delight in his voice.

"We have no idea what he'll do next, or even where he'll go." Black Zetsu commented, and Tobi shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. The more... Rambunctious, Kane-kun becomes, the more likely he'll be to draw out the true Jinchuriki."

"We've heard nothing from the Nine Tails. She's as silent as a rock." Black Zetsu pointed out, and Tobi shrugged yet again.

"The Fourth Hokage has obviously done something to keep the girl contained. It won't last long, though. Let Kane-kun continue his little rampage, and Naruko Namikaze will surely show her face."

"What if something happens to the boy before then?" White Zetsu asked curiously.

Tobi seemed thoughtful for a moment.

"I'd say we should place our faith in Kane-kun. He's proven himself quite the adversary, hasn't he?" Tobi waved off Zetsu's worries.

"But if he gets caught?" Black Zetsu asked seriously.

Tobi narrowed his eye.

"I guess we'll just have to ensure that doesn't happen, won't we?"

* * *

"Is there a reason you aren't focusing, Sasuke?" Fugaku asked calmly.

Sasuke grit his teeth as he glared at his father furiously.

"Why didn't you stop it?"

Fugaku raised a single eyebrow, waiting for Sasuke to elaborate.

"When the final vote came to decide whether or not Kane was declared Kill On Sight, you abstained! Why?" Sasuke snapped.

"Because of you." Fugaku responded as if it were obvious, and Sasuke did a double take.

"What?"

"Sasuke, the Fourth Hokage also abstained. It is known amongst everyone, even the villagers, how dedicated both you and Naruko are to bringing the boy back home."

"That doesn't explain why you abstained!"

"Both Hokage-sama and I abstained because we are biased, due to our children's direct involvement in the situation. It wouldn't do well for us to take sides, and we both recognized that fact."

Sasuke looked surprised, and then he scowled again.

"That's a load of crap! People have been bias against Kane from the very beginning, because they thought he had the Nine Tails!"

Fugaku sighed, his patience running thin.

"There is still much you do not know about the world of politics, Sasuke."

Sasuke still looked irritated, and so Fugaku waved him off.

"We're done for the day. Perhaps you should go pay your brother a visit."

Sasuke huffed as he stood up and walked out.

As the door closed behind Sasuke, Fugaku shook his head.

"He still as a lot to learn."

* * *

"Gaara."

The Kazekage looked up from his desk to find Kankuro standing before him, and his elder brother did _not_ look happy. Temari stood behind him, looking sheepish as she mouthed a wordless 'sorry'.

"Yes, Kankuro?" Gaara asked calmly.

"Why haven't you told anyone that the bastard attacked you?!" Kankuro all but screamed, and Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Quiet, Kankuro."

Kankuro gulped in fear and lowered his voice, but refused to back down.

"I'm serious here, Gaara! Why are you keeping the fact that Kane Sanguis attacked you silent? Why are you hiding that?"

"What benefit would there be in telling everyone?" Gaara asked calmly, and Kankuro looked outraged.

"The world should know! That bastard should pay for what he did!"

Gaara raised an eyebrow, "And what, exactly, did he do?"

"He attacked you!"

"I'm fine, as you can see."

"Yeah, but-"

"Kankuro," Gaara interrupted calmly and Kankuro went silent, "Telling the world would do more harm than good. If me keeping silent about Kane Sanguis' attack on me can help make Naruko Namikaze's life even just a little bit easier, then I shall do so. It is the least I can do for her."

Kankuro clammed up at that, but still didn't look appeased.

"I just don't like that he hurt my little brother."

Gaara stood up suddenly, a neutral look on his face, and approached Kankuro.

Then, he wrapped the other man in a hug.

Kankuro looked surprised for a moment, but then wrapped his arms around Gaara as well, an embarassed blush on his face.

Temari smiled fondly at the tender moment.

* * *

"You're very strange."

Sai blinked slowly, then gave Karin one of his fake smiles.

"I am sorry if I make you uncomfortable."

"Yeah, well, you do!" Karin snapped, "What's with the fake smiles?! You're creepy as shit!"

Sai continued to smile, and Karin huffed as she turned away.

"So you're Kane's sensei, huh?" Karin asked the white haired man casually.

Kami, she was so bored. There was seriously nothing to do in Konoha!

Things were definitely more interesting with Kane.

Although, the shopping here was _really_ good...

"I don't think he'd agree with you, but yes, I was his sensei." Kakashi said with a small incline of his head, his eye never straying from his icha icha novel.

Karin's eye twitched at the book, "How can you read that crap?"

"It's a good read." Kakashi said with an eye smile, his eye still on the book.

"Pervert..." Karin whispered.

The redheaded Uzumaki jumped in fright as Sasuke landed in front of her.

"Kami! Don't do that, you jerk!" Karin screeched, but Sasuke ignored her, turning to face Kakashi.

"You're late." Kakashi said simply, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm not."

"I said to meet here at three." Kakashi said simply, snapping his book shut.

"It's six." Sasuke said as if that explained everything.

Kakashi gave him an exhausted look, "So you're three hours late."

"No, I'm right on time, Kakashi." Sasuke said with a smirk, and Kakashi sniffled.

"Are you... crying?" Karin asked, completely gobsmacked.

"Sasuke-chan is becoming the perfect student! You're making me so proud!" Kakashi wailed. Sasuke rolled his eyes and Sai gave another fake smile as Karin watched the scene in complete disbelief.

' _What the hell is wrong with Kane's team?!'_

* * *

"Will you explain now?"

Tobi's eye snapped to Zetsu curiously. The two were seated in a lounge room in the Hidden Rain, the entire room dark and barely lit.

"Explain what?"

"Why you let Kane Sanguis walk away free." Black Zetsu asked curiously.

Tobi's eye narrowed.

"We've been through this. There were plenty of reasons to do so. Beyond using him as bait for Naruko Namikaze, there is also the... Chance, that he is the cursed child."

"You seem pretty adamant that he's not." White Zetsu pointed out, and Tobi nodded.

"Indeed, but I am not so simple minded to not consider the possibility. I am certain Kane-kun does not bear the Curse of Hatred, but I suppose there is always a chance that I am wrong."

"I suppose it makes sense, letting him leave, but it doesn't explain why you didn't just keep the boy locked up."

Tobi raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"Yeah! Why not keep him trapped here, if you're so adamant about not killing him! Use him as bait, but keep him with us! Then the Jinchuriki will come right to us!" White Zetsu said in glee, as if they hadn't already released Kane.

Tobi hummed thoughtfully at that.

"What makes a genius, Zetsu?"

Zetsu went silent at that, until Black Zetsu spoke up, "What do you mean?"

Tobi crossed his legs and then his hands, calmly.

"There are more than one type of genius. There are three."

"Three?" White Zetsu asked curiously, and Tobi nodded.

"Indeed. There are three types of genius. The first type, refers to genius of the mind. There are those out there that have the brain power that goes well and beyond their peers. Shikaku Nara comes to mind for me."

Zetsu nodded, "Ohhhhh."

"The second type refers to genius in power. Pain would be a good example of that, as would Kane-kun."

"What do you mean?" Black Zetsu asked.

"Pain has the power to bend others to his will through sheer force alone. He is strong, gifted and blessed with a natural strength that few others could ever hope to achieve. His Rinnegan, for example."

"His Rinnegan isn't really his though." White Zetsu casually mentioned, and Tobi's eye narrowed dangerously at the careless mention of such a well kept secret. Zetsu flinched back slightly.

"I'm well aware. Ignoring that fact, had the Rinnegan truly been his, he would be the perfect example of a genius through power. There is nothing special about him, nothing he does with his strength that other men wouldn't be able to do as well, he was simply..." Tobi trailed off, and Zetsu leaned forward in anticipation.

"Born Lucky." Tobi finished calmly.

"Ohhh, so it's like, he's just a regular guy, nothing special about him, he just got lucky and was given something that made him super strong?" White Zetsu asked stupidly, and Black Zetsu sighed in annoyance.

"Indeed." Tobi nodded.

"What's the third type?" Black Zetsu asked.

"The third type would be a genius through talent. There are those out there that have the natural skill that others lack, and are able to climb high because of this. Hashirama Senju comes to mind, as well as... Myself."

"You mean Madara right?" White Zetsu asked, and Tobi tensed as Zetsu once again tossed out a well kept secret as if it was nothing.

"Perhaps you should shutup." Black Zetsu said, and White Zetsu moaned but obeyed.

"They are more than that, though." Tobi continued as if nothing happened, and Zetsu looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"Hashirama Senju was both a genius in talent, as well as in power. Those born lucky, as well as born with the natural gift of skill, are the most dangerous."

"Why is that though?" White Zetsu asked lamely.

"Because not only are they given great gifts, but they know how to utilize it to its full potential. They are the ones that go above and beyond, breaking limitations thought to be absolute."

"What does any of this have to do with letting Kane Sanguis walk away?" Black Zetsu asked.

"Kane-kun is a genius in power, but he is certainly not a genius in talent. The boy didn't show any potential until he was a Genin, after all."

"But he's grown so much since then!" White Zetsu pointed out, and Tobi shrugged.

"That's because he was given all the tools to become strong. A genius in power. His Kekkei Genkai extends beyond simple blood, and he has complete mastery over water. The greatest water Shinobi since Tobirama Senju himself."

Tobi leaned forward slightly.

"Kane-kun didn't _earn_ that, he was _given_ it."

Tobi leaned back again as he grew lost in thought, Zetsu listening intently.

"Naibu Sanguis was the opposite. A genius in talent, but not a genius in power. Had Naibu been born with the talents Kane-kun possesses, I have no doubts that man would have shaken the entire world."

"Naibu was looking for something when he died, that's what you said." White Zetsu commented, and Tobi nodded.

"Indeed. I don't know what it was, but now Kane-kun is searching for it too. Even now, Kane-kun lives in that mans shadow."

"You still haven't answered my question." Black Zetsu pointed out.

"Naibu was loved by Hoshi. During the last great war, when the boy was not even ten years of age, he was captured by Iwa Shinobi."

"Really? How? You've had nothing but praise for Naibu Sanguis since you took an interest in him years ago." Black Zetsu asked curiously.

"He let himself be captured. Iwa managed to capture his little sister before he was assigned her guardian. He attempted to trade himself for the girl, but of course they kept both he and she."

"What happened?" White Zetsu asked curiously.

"Nobody knows. All we know for sure, is Naibu was kept locked up for several hours, Chakra restraints around him, until he escaped."

"How did he escape?"

"He slaughtered the Iwa Shinobi, and took his sister back to Hoshi. By the time Hoshi realized what had happened, the two children had already returned. It would be not long after that he was assigned her guardian by his mother."

"I still don't understand, how did he escape if he had Chakra restraints?"

Tobi leaned forward, "Because you _don't_ lock up a Sanguis. This is what Naibu discovered."

Zetsu frowned, "Why not?"

"Apparently, the Sanguis don't do so well in confined spaces against their will, especially with suppressed Chakra." Tobi explained vaguely.

Zetsu nodded slowly, "So what did he do to escape, exactly?"

"Simple," Tobi's eye narrowed slightly, "he learned a new way to use his Kekkei Genkai."

"Ohhhhh!" White Zetsu suddenly shouted, and the other two looked at him in surprise.

"So, if we kept Kane Sanguis locked up, he would've gotten away somehow!"

"Maybe. Maybe not. It wasn't worth the risk of Kane-kun getting a newfound strength, and then causing us serious problems. Keeping the boy locked up was not an option I was willing to consider. It was either let him go, have him join us, or kill him. The choice was pretty easy from there."

Zetsu nodded slowly, "That kid is a handful."

Tobi's eye narrowed.

"Indeed."

* * *

He stared at the blood flowing in front of his face blankly.

Kane sat leaning against a tree in the middle of a forest. He'd managed to make great time, and even gotten completely out of Wind Country in less than a day. Now, he was at the border of Rain and Wind, and he was ready to collapse for the night.

Except, he needed to decide what to do with this blood.

Kane had never drank blood before without having an outlet for his spike in aggression. He'd always used it as a last resort, or as a way of training back in Water Country.

He could always wait. He'd spent two years manipulating the blood in his shoulder constantly in order to prevent it from spreading throughout his body. He could easily manipulate Gaara's blood through the air while he slept.

He didn't want to, though.

He wanted to drink it.

That feeling he'd gotten, drinking Pain's blood... It was addicting. He'd felt so good, so powerful. There was of course that overwhelming feeling of disgust and impurity, but Kane was positive that was because of whatever strange situation he'd found himself in.

Drinking the blood of a puppet, which was connected to five other puppets, which was connected to the true Uzumaki Pain, which was the blood he'd loved tasting, even though he wasn't really drinking that Pain's blood...

Strange indeed.

Kane was sure that if he could just taste that purity, perhaps even more pure than Pain's, and not have the diluted blood interfering with it, he would find what he was searching for.

That perfection Naibu sought.

What if this was it? What if this was what he'd been born to find?

Only one way to find out.

He couldn't wait any longer. The suspense was murder.

So, he drank.

Gaara's blood was different than the others. Much different. There was a strange purity to his blood, Kane could tell, and there was no doubt Gaara was nobility.

But he wasn't as pure as the Uzumaki.

There was also a strange hint of something else. Something long gone. Chakra, not his own, faint and barely noticeable, yet still present. An evil, demonic Chakra.

Shukaku.

It was long gone, the source. Only remnants of the Shukaku remained, and Kane had no doubt that eventually, that too would fade.

There was more.

Another foreign Chakra existed within Gaara, one that Kane could not recognize. It was... Gross. Impure.

The Chakra of someone unworthy.

Why did it exist within Gaara? Whose Chakra was that?

Kane wasn't sure.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped around at the sound of an bird chirping, and Kane looked for the source.

Where were the enemies? Wasn't he supposed to be fighting?

Wait, where had the blood come from then?

This made no sense.

Wait.

' _Get ahold of yourself!'_ Kane snapped to himself internally.

He shook his head and tried to focus on Gaara's blood again, lest the feeling dissipate forever.

Gaara was pure, but he was nowhere near the Uzumaki's. Hell, he wasn't even as pure as the Sanguis, and Kane's opinion of his own clan was fairly low.

If Gaara wasn't as pure as the Sanguis, then wouldn't that mean very few clanless ninja would be pure at all?

Probably.

Speaking of clans, where was the nearest one?

Maybe he could drink their blood.

That was his overall goal, right? To drink everyone's blood?

Err, that wasn't right, was it?

Oh, he was losing it again.

Kane snarled as he launched himself at a nearby tree, slamming his side into it in a display of wildness.

This wasn't what he wanted! Gaara's blood wasn't the blood he sought! Who had the purest of blood, then?!

The Uzumaki, of course.

No! There had to be someone else, right?! It couldn't be an Uzumaki! Karin's blood was close, but Kane could tell it wasn't as pure as Pain's. Somewhere down the line of Karin's lineage, she'd become more diluted than Pain had. Less pure.

So it had to be Pain! There was only one other Uzumaki that he knew of, after all...

It wasn't her.

Pain! It had to be Pain! But what if it wasn't?!

There were still so many clans he'd yet to test.

The thought of getting ahold of Kiba Inuzuka's throat again sent a sick thrill through him.

Kane roared in desperation as he searched every which way, one direction to another, attempting to find an outlet for his aggression.

He was alone.

For some reason, that thought sobered him instantly.

 _He was alone._

He hadn't been alone since he left Water Country, and in Water Country he'd never truly felt alone. He ran into Mizu Shinobi nearly daily, and their constant presence and acknowledgement of him as an ally made it feel as if he weren't truly alone in the world. He had allies, if nothing else.

Now he truly had nothing.

Akatsuki may be gone, but he'd lost everything else.

Everyone, too.

What did he care, though?! This was just another test! Another struggle he would have to go through in order to become strong!

He hated this feeling.

Kane didn't miss Karin. Not really. She'd only been gone a few days, after all. Sometimes it felt like she hadn't really left, and she'd come walking from the woods towards him at any moment.

He didn't miss Hidan. The man was sick. Disgusting.

Yet he'd formed a kinship with him, hadn't he?

He didn't know anymore.

No, he didn't miss Karin, and he didn't miss Hidan.

He missed Team 7.

Kane missed the old days, when he thought he was a Jinchuriki. He missed those moments, few and far inbetween, where he truly felt like he was apart of something greater than himself.

He missed walking home with Naruko everyday. He missed holding her hand. He missed Kakashi ruffling his hair. He missed Sasuke helping him back to his feet after a spar. He missed Naruko and Sasuke's banter. He missed the library. He missed those two special moments that Teuchi gave him free ramen. He missed going on missions. He even missed the Fourth Hokage.

Kane admitted to himself, for the first time, that he truly missed Konoha.

The bloodlusting Kane gave a dazed, half-lidded smile towards the sky as he continued to feel dizzy.

He missed them! He'd admitted it to himself, finally! He missed them!

Had he been slamming his body into trees this entire time?

He had.

Kane laughed madly.

 _He'd never go back._

No, it didn't matter how much he missed them. Leaving had been the best decision he ever made.

He didn't miss the hatred of the villagers. He didn't miss starving. He didn't miss stealing. He didn't miss getting thrown out of shops. He didn't miss being a scapegoat. He didn't miss being belittled and called weak. He didn't miss being left behind.

 _He'd never go back._

Kane yelled as he slammed into another tree, his mind slipping further and further as he could not find an outlet for his rage.

 _Never!_

* * *

End of Chapter 86


	90. Chapter 87

Kami, his head hurt.

Kane opened his eyes with a groan, placing his hand atop his head.

It was still bright out.

Had he slept for an entire day? Two? He wasn't sure.

 _'Note to self... Stay away from Jinchuriki's from now on...'_

The remnants of the Shukaku's Chakra left behind within Gaara had driven him mad. He hadn't lost control like that since...

Well, since he fought Pain. But until then he hadn't lost control since Water Country!

Who was that third Chakra? There were _three_ different Chakra signatures within Gaara. Shouldn't there have been two? Himself and the Shukaku? Who was the third?

It didn't matter.

Gaara's blood had most certainly not been what he was looking for.

How were Jinchuriki's able to stand that? That awful, terrible Chakra... It had driven him half mad, and he'd only tasted the lingering after-effects of a biju long since gone.

Maybe they didn't feel it all the time. That made sense. Afterall, Naruko-

Kane scowled as he shook his head. He was tired of thinking about her! She was always there, in the back of his mind.

He stood up and glanced around. He should probably focus on getting something to eat; who knows when his last meal had been.

Wait.

Kane blinked slowly, placing a hand gently over his stomach.

Why wasn't he hungry? Why was he still...

Still full?

He had eaten, just before drinking Gaara's blood. He hadn't known how long he'd sleep for afterwards, and the last thing he wanted was to starve to death while unconscious, if that was even possible.

But, he wasn't hungry.

He was _still full._

* * *

"Yeah! They say he's still alive!"

"Really? I thought that group, uh... What was it called again?"

"Amaritsaki."

"That... Doesn't sound right."

"It's what my buddy told me, don't ask me."

"Anyway, I thought Amaritsaki caught him finally?"

"They did! But he's alive!"

"He must've escaped, then. Crazy."

As the two voices faded away, Kane stepped out from his hiding spot and continued his search. He plopped himself down in the nearest chair, opening a book on the history of Iwagakure.

The irony of how he now found himself within a library for the second time since his release was not lost on him.

Currently, he was in Grass Country, in the Hidden Grass Village. He needed to select his next target, and a little bit of research seemed in order.

He wasn't _about_ to step back in the Hidden Rain Village. He'd sooner waltz into Konoha.

Kane knew what clans existed in Konoha, as there were a bunch. That being said, he had no idea about other villages.

Konoha was the first Hidden Village to be created and was also founded by two clans coming together. Because of this, Konoha held more clans than any other village.

That didn't mean the others were empty, however.

He just needed to figure out what they had.

Kane grimaced as he continued reading.

How is it that Iwagakure had so few clans? The only clan of any renown in the entire village was the Kamizuru clan, and their Kekkei Genkai involved _bees._

 _Bees._

Kane wasn't even going to pretend that they were what he was looking for.

He didn't want to go to Konoha.

Not yet.

Kane knew, if he were to start stirring up trouble with Konoha, things would get ugly very quickly. He had too much connection there, too much risk.

He didn't want to see Team 7.

Suna wasn't really an option. He already attacked Gaara, and Suna wasn't exactly ripe with clans either.

Which left two options.

Lightning Country, or Water Country.

Both had its ups and downs. He was familiar with Water Country, and the terrain would suit him. That being said, Kiri no longer viewed him as an ally. He was more likely to get recognized in Water Country than anywhere else in the world, too.

Lightning Country was practically a warzone. It was a fine place to live, very safe and secure, so long as you were _allowed_ to be there. He'd face just as much conflict, perhaps more, roaming around in Lightning Country as he would in Water Country.

Kumo didn't have very many clans, either. The only one he had even mild interest in would be the Yosuki clan, and that was simply because there wasn't a whole lot of information about them.

But, Lightning Country is where the _Chinoike_ clan originated...

If there was ever a clan beyond the Uzumaki that Kane found interest in, it was the Chinoike.

He could try to learn about their history, see if there were any Chinoike's left.

Drink their blood, if there were.

Kane shook his head, refocusing on the task at hand.

Water Country... Well, they weren't lacking clans, that was for sure.

Hoshigaki, Hozuki, Kaguya, Karatachi, Yuki...

Kane was sure he'd find something of value there.

And yet, it wasn't as cut and dry as that for Water Country. The country went through internal turmoil and conflict specifically because of Kekkei Genkai's. Kane was pretty sure the Kaguya clan was extinct, for example. Not only that, but going around in a Country that saw more importance in bloodline limits than even Konoha did...

He was sure to draw plenty of unwanted attention to himself.

Kane slammed the book shut, shaking his head in aggravation.

He'd made up his mind.

* * *

It was frightening, to say the least.

And yet, it was soothing.

It didn't make sense, but it's what she felt, damnit!

Karin hid slightly behind the pale skinned boy named Sai, her eyes wide as she watched the two out in the training field.

Kakashi panted as he placed both hands on his knees.

Sasuke smirked, his entire body surrounded by purple.

"Getting tired, Kakashi?"

Kakashi gave an eye smile as he hid his Sharingan behind his mask once more. Sasuke frowned at that.

"That's enough, Sasuke. We're done for the day."

Sasuke continued to frown as he released his small Susanoo.

Karin sighed in relief as the dark, and yet... Lovely Chakra disappeared completely.

That jutsu of his, it was so intense. Scary. There was something cold and dark about it, as if it had a long and bloody history and was prepared to unleash its wrath upon those that stood before it.

And yet, there was something... Protective, about it. As if the jutsu wasn't looking to harm its enemies, but rather protect those it loved.

It was a complete wash of different emotions for the poor girl, and she didn't know how to handle it.

"We could've kept going." Sasuke said with an accusing look.

Kakashi shook his head as he continued to smile, "I could have, but you were running out of time. Don't forget, Sasuke, you can only use your smaller Susanoo for so long before the negative consequences start to show. You don't want to lose your sight, do you?"

Sasuke let out a grunt at that, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I don't plan on letting up when I see the Dead Last."

Karin froze at that.

Kakashi frowned.

"Sasuke, you must be careful, and-"

"The Dead Last is stronger than I was before I got my Mangekyou. You've told me as much. I can't take any chances; when I see him, he's going down."

"Hey!"

Karin approached, looking angered by his words, and the two turned to her in surprise. Sai remained where he was, a curious look on his face.

"You hurt Kane, and you're dead, Uchiha! Get it?!" Karin snapped, and Sasuke smirked at her in response.

"You're definitely an Uzumaki."

Karin growled lowly, "Listen, I know Kane's strong... He's the strongest Shinobi I've ever seen, but-"

"Strongest you've ever seen? But you've seen me now." Sasuke interrupted with narrowed eyes, attempting to gauge just how strong Kane had become based upon the girl's reaction.

"-He's the _strongest Shinobi I've ever seen, but-"_ Karin snapped, and Sasuke's eyes widened as the girl continued, "-he's not a bad person. He's your teammate, too! Don't... Don't give up on him."

Sasuke stared at her for a moment, and the girl jumped as a hand came to clasp her shoulder from behind. Karin turned her head to find Kakashi smiling down at her.

"No need to worry. We don't plan on giving up on him."

Karin turned back to face Sasuke, and the Uchiha heir nodded, his face serious.

She sighed with relief, and Kakashi's grip tightened slightly, causing her to tense.

"It would help, however, if you'd be a little more forthcoming with Kane's abilities. Anything you could tell us would help."

Karin shook her head vehemently, "No! I've already betrayed him enough. I never would've come here in the first place if I knew it would cause Kane to be placed as Kill On Sight! I won't hurt him any further!"

Kakashi sighed, but then gave the girl an eye smile, "I suppose I can't be that upset, knowing there's someone else that cares about him as much as we do."

He gave her shoulder one more reassuring squeeze before letting go.

Sasuke took a step forward, and she tensed again.

"I won't kill the idiot. He's like family to me. But I _won't_ let him slip through my fingers again. Last time I did, he ended up hurting my brother, and that was _after_ he hurt my father. I'm not giving Kane another chance to escape."

Karin nodded slowly at that.

Sasuke gave her a cocky grin.

"There's no need to concern yourself over him anymore. If I can't bring him back, which I doubt, then Naruko surely will."

* * *

"Oi oi oi! I'm glad you're here!" The white haired ninja said with a shark-like grin.

Kane simply stared at him.

Suigetsu's eye twitched ever so slightly in irritation.

"Not gonna say anything, ya bastard?!"

"Suigetsu," Kane drawled out slowly, "of the Hozuki clan."

Suigetsu smirked, "And you're that bastard that everyone keeps talking about! They said you were alive, and boy am I glad to hear it!"

Kane raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? I don't believe we've ever met."

Suigetsu stretched his arms, still grinning, "We haven't, but I hear you've met someone named Zabuza!"

Kane furrowed his eyebrows, "Who?"

Suigetsu looked annoyed, "Don't play stupid! One of the Seven Swordsman of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi!"

Kane continued to frown thoughtfully, before shaking his head slowly.

"Never heard of him."

"You're the bastard who killed him!" Suigetsu cried out in complete disbelief.

"I am?" Kane looked so genuinely surprised, that Suigetsu actually found himself believing him.

"Damnit... You seriously don't remember?"

Kane shrugged.

Suigetsu scowled, "Son of a bitch! Then you don't remember what happened to his sword, do you?"

"No." Kane said flatly.

Suigetsu moaned, "Kami help me... I'm never gonna find the damned thing!"

Kane looked at the man curiously, "Is that why you're searching for me?"

"Ehhh?" Suigetsu looked at him annoyed, "Don't get so full of yourself. I wasn't really looking for you, I just heard from some passerby's that you were in the area. Figured I'd come check you out."

Kane nodded, "That's good-" he took a threatening step forward, and Suigetsu raised an eyebrow, "-because you're exactly the type of person I wanted to see."

Suigetsu smirked, "Oh? And how is it that you even know who I am?"

"Your bio is quite distinguishable. I read about a Hozuki named Suigetsu and his brother, Mangetsu. I figured you were the former, seeing as how the latter is dead."

Suigetsu glared at the mention of his brother, but then shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess. Still surprising you'd recognize me, though. I've been locked up by Orochimaru, that bastard, for years now. Thank Kami he's finally dead; it gave me the chance to escape I've been waiting for."

"I read about you very recently. It's the only reason I recognized you." Kane answered, and Suigetsu let out a loud 'Ah'.

"So what do you want?" Suigetsu asked flatly.

"Give me your blood, Hozuki."

Silence.

Suigetsu stared at him, a gobsmacked look on his face.

"You serious?"

Kane simply glared.

Suigetsu smirked, "You must be as crazy as they say. Shit, man, that's a really weird thing to ask someone for."

"I don't recall asking."

Suigetsu's smile widened, his shark-like teeth on full display.

"Ohhh, I like you. Let's see you come _take it then!"_

Suigetsu swung his fist at Kane's face, only for Kane to slap it away with the back of his hand. Kane's skin began turning red, and Suigetsu eyed him curiously for a single moment.

Suigetsu threw his leg out, and Kane disappeared.

 _"What-"_

Suigetsu went flying from a kick to the head, and the Hozuki smirked as he landed on both feet.

"Hey, not bad! You-"

He dodged as Kane appeared in front of him, throwing a punch.

"-are pretty-"

His eyes widened as Kane slammed a foot into his chest, and he growled lowly as he jumped away, rubbing the spot tenderly with both hands.

"... Fast." He finished with a glare.

"Give me your blood, Hozuki, and I'll be on my way."

"Hah! Over my dead-"

Kane slammed a kunai into his stomach, and the purple-eyed ninja smirked as his stomach burst into water. Kane's eyes widened in surprise.

"-body." Suigetsu finished with a smirk as his body turned into water before quickly reforming a few feet away.

Kane eyed him curiously.

His bio had only mentioned a strong affinity for water. It hadn't said anything about this...

"Do that again." Kane commanded, and Suigetsu smirked.

"Why don't you make-"

A kunai plunged into Suigetsu's chest, and went completely through him as his chest turned into water.

Suigetsu continued smirking, but then gasped in shock.

"Wait, what the hell?! Why can't I reform my body! You-"

"Give me your blood, Hozuki." Kane demanded, his eyes narrowed.

"What? You-"

Another kunai plunged into his stomach, then his leg, then his other leg.

As each appendage burst into water, the water continued floating in the air, unmoving.

"What the hell did you do to me?!"

Kane walked up calmly, one eyebrow raised.

"Water will always obey me, Hozuki."

"What? What are you talking about, you bastard?" Suigetsu snapped.

Kane hummed thoughtfully, "I wonder what would happen if I..."

Suigetsu suddenly screamed in pain, his head shaking back and forth wildly as he clenched his eyes tightly.

"Stop! Ahhh! What the hell is going on?! It burns!"

Kane smirked as he watched the water beneath Suigetsu's head boil, and the boy continued to scream in pain.

He let up, cooling the water down, and Suigetsu began panting.

"What... What did you-"

"I'll make this simple for you." Kane cut him off, and Suigetsu looked at him through half-lidded eyes, still panting and wincing in pain.

"Let me take your blood, and I let you go. Don't, and I'll drag you around Water Country with me, boiling you the entire time. Maybe I'll even throw you at some enemies, just for fun." Kane mused to himself.

"What the hell are you?" Suigetsu asked with a glare, and Kane shrugged.

"Deal?"

"What?"

"Do we have a deal, Hozuki?"

Suigetsu grit his teeth angrily before nodding.

Kane smirked as he leaned down and retrieved his four kunai on the ground. He put three away before taking the fourth and gently cutting Suigetsu's cheek.

"I'm going to let you reform, now. I doubt you have enough blood in just your head, no matter how thick skulled you are."

Suigetsu growled at that, but then suddenly found he could control himself again. He quickly reformed his body.

Then, he gasped as he fell to the ground, his blood heating up, and he groaned.

"I thought you said-"

"This might be uncomfortable."

"Huh? You-"

Suigetsu groaned as Kane stabbed him in the stomach, pulling the kunai out.

"Why-"

"Needed a bigger cut, and on a better body part."

"What-"

Suigetsu leaned his head back and let loose a silent scream.

Kane grinned widely as he watched Suigetsu's blood leave his body.

* * *

Mei Terumi scowled at the Jounin in front of her.

"And where, exactly, is he?"

"It was near the border between Water Country and Fire Country, Mizukage-sama." One of the Jounin said with a gulp.

Mei eyed the ninja on the ground in the middle of her office, the man glaring up at her.

"Why is his mouth taped shut?" She asked curiously.

"He wouldn't shut his mouth, Mizukage-sama." One of the Jounin explained with a glare at Suigetsu.

She waved her hand, and they removed his bindings.

Suigetsu glared at the Jounin as he rubbed the back of his head, "Bastards."

"Ahem." Mei fake-coughed as she glared down at Suigetsu harshly.

He gave a cheeky grin back.

"Mizukage-sama! So great to see you again!"

"I don't have time to deal with you, Suigetsu Hozuki. Tell me where Red Skin went."

"Who?"

She snapped her fingers, and suddenly Suigetsu gasped as he was pinned to a wall, a kunai at his throat.

"Those don't work on me, you know." He said cheekily, but then gulped as Mei stood up slowly.

"Tell. Me. Where. He. Went."

* * *

Kane hummed thoughtfully as the blood hovered in the air.

The Karatachi clan didn't seem to have pure blood, either.

There was a subtle difference in what Kane felt when he manipulated blood. All blood felt slightly different, but the different was so small he had to focus to even tell. The less pure blood felt, the more... Murky, it felt. Like mud. The more pure, the more smooth. Like water.

None had felt as smooth as the Uzumaki's yet.

Really, there was no point in even drinking the blood. If it didn't feel as smooth as the Uzumaki's, it wasn't what he was looking for. He'd confirmed as much with Gaara.

He dropped the blood from the air, eyeing the unconscious Kiri Shinobi for a moment before turning and walking off.

The Kaguya were extinct, apparently, which meant there were only two clans remaining that he knew of.

The Hoshigaki, and the Yuki.

Kane could cross the Yuki off his list. Apparently, the Yuki were also extinct.

Apparently he'd been the one to kill off the last member, too.

Go figure.

That left only the Hoshigaki. He knew Kisame was one of those members, but he'd heard the man had died in Lightning Country a while back.

Apparently, the Hoshigaki had shark-like teeth and appearances.

He wondered if that guy, Suigetsu, had some Hoshigaki in him.

Ehh, he doubted it. Probably just coincidence.

Where the hell was he supposed to find a Hoshigaki? They must be rare, considering he'd never seen anyone besides Kisame and Suigetsu with that type of appearance.

He sighed loudly.

The Hoshigaki probably weren't even what he was looking for.

 _'Maybe I should head to Lightning Country... Try to find out more about the Chinoike... Maybe it'll give me some leads.'_

Kane froze, suddenly feeling a very, _very_ powerful Chakra Signature heading his way.

Thank Kami they were running atop a lake close by, or he'd never even know.

Karin's abilities were dearly missed.

 _'That's... Not good. I don't want to fight someone like that.'_

He glanced back at the blood he'd previously let fall to the ground, and watched curiously as he willed it back into the air.

He'd never tried drinking blood just to run away before.

* * *

The Mizukage huffed in annoyance as she glared out into the distance.

"Mizukage-sama?" One of the Anbu asked cautiously.

"He's gone. There's no point going any further. He's beyond Water Country borders now." Mei huffed, clearly disappointed.

She'd still never even met Red Skin!

She wondered if he would make a good husband.

"I suppose we could pull a Konoha and chase him anyway." One of the Anbu snarked, and another hit him on the top of his head.

"You're an Anbu! No jokes!"

Mei ignored them as she moaned and stomped her foot petulantly.

She'd really wanted to fight that guy!

* * *

The blonde smirked as she placed her hands on her hips.

She leaned back, and screamed.

 _"Konoha! Naruko Namikaze has returned!"_

* * *

Karin fidgeted in place as she stood slightly behind Sai.

She didn't like the guy, but he really did make a great human shield.

Karin was nervous. What would Naruko say when she saw her? What would she think? Would she be mad? Would she hate her?

She'd find out soon.

Sasuke let out a fond smile as Kakashi snapped his book shut, and Naruko appeared in front of them in a swirl of leaves.

The blonde haired girl let out a joyful laugh as she immediately threw her arms around Sasuke in a tight hug. She released him and then gave the same treatment to Kakashi.

"I'm back!" She cheered, and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"We can see that, idiot."

"Screw you, bastard!"

Sai smiled as he began walking forward, and Karin froze and her eyes went wide as she stood perfectly still, hoping she wouldn't get noticed for some odd reason.

Naruko eyed Sai up and down as the boy walked up and gave a friendly smile.

"Sai."

He merely continued smiling, and Naruko burst into a wide grin. She threw her arms around him, hugging him too.

As she hugged him, her chin on his shoulder, she and Karin locked eyes.

Naruko tensed, the smile wiping off her face instantly, and she quickly shoved Sai away from her aggressively, her eyes never leaving Karin's.

Karin began fidgeting again, and her mouth felt dry.

The other three watched carefully as Naruko slowly began approaching the redhead.

The second Naruko started walking, Karin burst like a dam ready to explode.

"Naru-chan! I tried! I really did! I tried to get Kane to come back, but he wouldn't listen! I should've told you, but it was a last second decision! I couldn't contact you without betraying him, and I wasn't even sure how I would do so, or how I would explain it to you, or, or, or..." The girl trailed off as Naruko reached her.

And wrapped her in a tight hug.

"I'm glad you're okay, Karin..." Naruko whispered, and Karin stood there, completely frozen.

"What?" Karin whispered back just as quietly.

"I knew you were with Kane, Karin, so when I heard that he got captured... He wasn't the only person I was scared for."

Karin continued to stand there like a tree, afraid to move a muscle.

"I'm really, _really_ glad you're okay." Naruko whispered again.

Karin threw her arms around Naruko as she started wailing, tears of relief and stress bursting out of her.

Even Sai couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Kane gripped his head painfully as he moaned.

How long had he been out?

He'd made it a point to check the sun and any and all surroundings before stopping. Thankfully, he hadn't gone completely crazy after drinking the blood this time.

That confirmed it. Stay away from Jinchuriki!

Not that there were many left.

Only two, in fact.

As he took in his surroundings, he frowned.

It was dark out. He'd been asleep for a while. He placed his hand over his stomach, and as if responding to his actions, his stomach rumbled.

So at least several hours, this time.

Why had he only slept a short while after drinking Gaara's blood? Was it because of the Shukaku? That third Chakra? Was it something else?

Was it because he'd admitted he'd missed Team 7?

The thought seemed crazy to him, but he couldn't help but ponder it.

Well, actually, yes he could.

He was starving.

* * *

Kane sighed happily as he leaned back against a tree.

His belly was full, he'd had plenty to drink, and he was well rested.

He'd relax for a while, and then...

Then, he'd be going back to Lightning Country.

The thought both excited and worried him. Last trip hadn't been easy, to say the least.

But the thought of learning about the Chinoike clan, of possibly discovering the identity of the Purest blood...

It thrilled him.

He'd rest for a while, and enjoy his time here.

Then, he'd continue his hunt.

His hunt of The Pure.

* * *

Naruko stared, her face completely stoic as she and her team stood in the office of the Hokage.

She'd just wanted to come tell him she was back, and she'd truly enjoyed her small reunion with her dad.

But now things had grown serious.

"Jiraiya-sensei, why in Kami's name are you telling me this _now?!"_ Minato snapped as he glared at his old sensei. Jiraiya gave him a sheepish grin.

Jiraiya sat perched on the open window in the office, and he gave the Hokage a shrug, "I just thought you'd like to know that Kane Sanguis is alive, and I was going to tell Naruko here anyway."

"Right, it was most certainly necessary for you tell her that you've figured out where he's heading, too." He said with narrowed eyes, and Jiraiya shrugged impishly.

"I'm just saying, he's left Water Country and is heading for Lightning Country right now."

Naruko continued to stare at her father, and finally the man sighed and turned to face her.

"Send us." Naruko said flatly.

"No, Naruko." Minato fired right back.

"You have to!"

"No, I don't. You're not leaving the village, Naruko." Minato said with narrowed eyes.

Naruko scowled before turning and stomping out of the office, Team 7 right behind her.

Minato immediately whirled on Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya-sensei, what-"

"You can't keep coddling her, kid." Jiraiya said seriously, and Minato gaped.

"What? You agreed it was best for her to stay within the village!"

Jiraiya nodded, "Yes, I did. But things are different now. She's mastered Sage Mode, Minato. _Mastered_ it."

Minato froze as he stared at the man in shock.

"Truly?"

"Truly."

Minato fell back into his seat, a small smile overtaking his lips.

"Even I haven't mastered it, after all these years."

"She's a natural! It was absolutely amazing to see!"

Minato's smile fell away as he returned to glaring, "But you still shouldn't have told her about Kane-kun!"

Jiraiya jumped into the office from his perch on the window and walked over to him, rifling through his pockets for something.

"Sensei, you-"

Jiraiya threw a book onto the table, and Minato's eyes widened as he instantly recognized it.

 _"The Tale Of The Gutsy Ninja?"_ Minato asked in surprise.

Jiraiya nodded, and the two stared at each other.

"She's the one, Minato. We have to let her grow up, and become the woman she's destined to be. The woman who will save this world, and find the answer to true peace."

Minato closed his eyes in frustration, shaking his head in denial.

* * *

"Naru-chan?" Karin asked cautiously, the blonde clearly being on edge.

"Yeah?" She asked through gritted teeth.

Karin walked up, holding a backpack. Naruko eyed it curiously as Karin held it up for her to see.

"This was Kane's." Karin said.

Naruko's eyes widened, and it was obvious to Karin that she wanted to rip the bag from her and dig through it.

Karin did it instead, gently opening it and reaching down to the bottom.

Sasuke, Sai and Kakashi watched carefully, already knowing what lay within.

"I just... Thought you should see this." Karin whispered before pulling an object out.

Naruko froze as she immediately recognized it for what it was.

Karin held it out for her to take, and Naruko shakily took it from the other girl.

Naruko closed her eyes tightly as her arms continued shaking, the weight of the objects true meaning not lost on her.

The picture of Team 7.

 _"He kept it..."_ Naruko whispered.

The other four continued to watch the girl carefully.

Naruko's eyes snapped open, determination and _fire_ in her eyes.

"We're going after him."

* * *

End of Chapter 87


	91. Chapter 88

"Naruko, you can't just run off and chase after Kane." Kakashi sighed, but the girl wasn't having it.

"We're going. With, or without you, Kakashi." Naruko snapped coldly as she continued walking towards the gate, the large doors already in sight.

Kakashi looked at Sasuke pleadingly, but saw the young Uchiha had the same exact look in his eye.

Neither were going to back down.

"Kami help me." Kakashi groaned.

"Go ahead, Kakashi, go tell my dad. We'll be long gone by the time you reach him." Naruko said cheekily.

"Sai?" Kakashi asked in a desperate last ditch effort to curry some form of support.

Sai smiled, walking steadily beside Sasuke.

"I have never met Kane-kun. I wish to see what is so special about him for myself."

A stormcloud appeared above Kakashi's head as he moaned in dismay.

His head snapped up so suddenly the others paused for a moment before contuing the stride.

"I suppose I have no choice, then! I'll just have to come along, too!"

Sai gave Kakashi his patented smile, "You sure changed your mind quickly."

Kakashi gave his own patented eye-smile right back, "Someone has to make sure these two don't get into too much trouble!"

Sasuke scowled, "You just don't want to take any of the blame."

Kakashi continued smiling.

"Erm, what about me?" Karin asked suddenly, as she too could be found walking with Team 7. Kakashi shook his head as he immediately turned serious.

"No, Karin. You stay here. If you leave, Hokage-sama's deal with you becomes null. You have to be ready to return to Tani the moment negotiations are finished. He's sticking his neck out for you here. You won't get a second chance if you leave." Kakashi spoke with finality.

Karin sighed before nodding, "Yeah, I get it."

"Don't worry, Karin! We're gonna bring Kane back, ttebayo!" Naruko gave a little fist pump, and Karin gave her a tight smile.

"I hope you're right, Naru-chan... I still wish I could go too, but then again maybe it's just as well that I didn't."

Naruko frowned slightly, "What do you mean?"

Karin looked visibly upset, "I haven't been able to convince him thus far, what difference would me being there make this time?"

Naruko's frown deepened, but before she could respond Sasuke tapped her on the shoulder, pointing forward. Naruko grinned as they arrived at the gates, Kakashi immediately engaging Izumo and Kotetsu in conversation.

"Alright, let's go!" Naruko cheered, but suddenly yelled in shock as she was dragged backwards by the shoulder and away from the others.

The blonde swatted the offending hand away, glaring at her redheaded cousin.

"What the hell, Karin?!"

"Naru-chan." Karin spoke with such intensity, the Namikaze girl immediately went rigid as she turned serious.

"Kane is strong, Naru-chan, and he thinks he knows what's best. For himself, at least."

Naruko nodded, "Yeah. I met him once, remember? Back in Water Country?"

Karin nodded too, "Don't give up on him, Naru-chan. He needs you. You're his only hope!"

Naruko gave another little fist-pump, "You can count on me ttebayo!"

The blonde Namikaze spun around and marched off, and Team 7 took off in a sprint as they exited the village gates, Kakashi having finished speaking with Izumo and Kotetsu.

As Karin watched Naruko's retreating figure, she bit her lip worriedly.

"Good luck."

* * *

"Naruko Namikaze has gone after Kaaaaaane!" White Zetsu screeched, and Pain and Konan both looked at the plant creature in surprise.

"So, it's finally time." Pain said as he narrowed his eyes. Konan turned stoic as she watched the interactions carefully.

Tobi eyed Zetsu dangerously.

"Where did you say Kane-kun was, Zetsu?"

Black Zetsu spoke up, "He left Water Country and is on his way to Lightning Country."

Pain took a step forward as he eyed the side of Tobi's mask, "Lightning Country... Where the Eight Tails is also located."

Tobi's eye crinkled in delight.

* * *

"What do you mean, they left?" Minato asked calmly as he stood up, his facial expression one of absolute seriousness.

He'd half expected this; no, he'd absolutely expected this to happen.

Just not so soon.

"I told you, they just left, kid." Jiraiya answered back, and Minato sighed tiredly at his old sensei.

"You wanted this to happen, didn't you? That's why you told them where Kane-kun was going."

Jiraiya shrugged, but smiled at him like a small, evil little child who just finished getting away with something dastardly.

Minato rubbed his temple with two fingers, "I'd better go get them."

"Or don't." Jiraiya threw out casually, and Minato glared at him.

"Now is not the time for this, Jiraiya-sensei! There are plenty of other ways to prepare Naruko for the future _without_ throwing her to the wolves!"

Minato's cape flourished behind him as he turned around, and then he disappeared in a flash of yellow.

Jiraiya sighed.

* * *

"Wasn't your brother supposed to be here?" Tsunade asked offhandedly as Fugaku and Mikoto stood off to the side.

Itachi shrugged, "I assume something has come up."

Tsunade tsked, "Whatever. Not my problem. You ready, brat?"

Itachi nodded, and Mikoto gripped his shoulder reassuringly.

"No matter what, we're here for you." She smiled lovingly, and Itachi closed his eyes for a moment.

He truly had missed his mother.

He'd always been a bit of a mama's boy, after all.

"Go ahead then. I don't have all day." Tsunade spoke, looking slightly annoyed.

Itachi kept his eyes closed for a moment. Then, his eyes snapped open, revealing twin Mangekyou Sharingans.

Tsunade immediately grabbed his arm, taking a blood sample, and ordered him to turn his Sharingan off. Itachi obeyed, and Tsunade practically _**'whooshed'**_ out the room.

Mikoto blinked in surprise.

"Now what?"

Fugaku spoke up for the first time.

"Now, we wait."

* * *

Minato froze.

That was not good.

That was _not good!_

He whirled around to glare off into the distance, and the four Anbu behind him tensed.

"Hokage-sama?" One of them asked, wondering why they had suddenly halted before leaving the village.

"Damnit!" Minato growled, and before any of the Anbu could react, he was gone.

* * *

Tobi sat on a large rock in a relaxed pose, one elbow on one propped up knee, his Akatsuki cloak billowing in the wind.

"Such a beautiful village, don't you think, Zetsu?"

"Yessss!" Black Zetsu practically purred, and White Zetsu moaned in disagreement.

"It's just a stupid village!"

"Now now, Zetsu. This isn't just a village..." He trailed off.

Tobi glanced down as Minato Namikaze appeared in a sudden flash, the blonde haired man glaring up at him.

 _"This is Konoha."_ Tobi finished, his eye crinkled up in a smile.

Tobi didn't move, and neither did Zetsu. Minato knew immediately that the two had been expecting him to show up.

"Your sensory abilities are as impressive as ever, Minato Namikaze." Tobi drawled.

"The masked man." Minato said simply, and Tobi chuckled.

"I go by Madara, now."

Minato tensed.

"Madara Uchiha, huh? So you've finally decided to bare that name? How do I know that's who you really are?"

Tobi continued to smile down at him, his eye crinkled up pleasantly, "I suppose you'll have to take my word for it."

"What are you doing here?" Minato asked calmly.

"That was a nifty little trick you pulled, fooling both Pain and myself." Tobi responded, ignoring his question.

 _"What are you doing here?"_ Minato growled.

If there was one person that Minato Namikaze could not stand, it was the masked one in front of him.

Every second he spent looking at him, Minato was reminded of how he'd failed Kushina.

Tobi threw both arms out as he gestured behind Minato, his aerial view giving him a great view of the Leaf Village, "Can't an Uchiha simply appreciate the beauty of a Hidden Village? Especially one that he himself founded?"

Minato glared at him, and Tobi continued to smile down at him.

"Your daughter has left, Yondaime."

Minato tensed even further.

"Do you remember what I said? About not being able to protect her? I wonder, Lord Fourth, how she will fare without you there. Daddy's little girl, _all alone."_

"And who's to say I won't be there? Are you going to try to stop me?"

"Me? Certainly not. By all means," Tobi leaned forward, his eye narrowing dangerously, _"Go get her."_

The wind howled as the two glared at each other.

* * *

So, he'd finally made it.

Lightning Country.

 _'You know, as many times as I've been everywhere else, especially Water Country, I've actually never been to Earth Country...'_

Kane shrugged.

Water Country had been simple, surprisingly enough. He'd encountered the Hozuki almost immediately upon entering the Country, and finding that Karatachi ninja hadn't taken long at all.

Despite that, he'd been run out of the Country almost immediately.

Kane frowned, wondering if that was a sign of what he could expect here as well.

There were still a few clans left in Water Country, but Kane didn't want to bother. The odds of them having the blood he was searching for was... Negligible, at best.

Konoha had all the best clans.

He shook his head vigorously; he wasn't here to think about the clans in Konoha! He was here to find out about the Chinoike!

The Chinoike were connected to the Sanguis somehow. Hopefully, they'd provide him with some answers.

But how was he supposed to learn about them?

He wasn't going to try to sneak into Kumo. It was easy, sneaking into one of the smaller Hidden Villages like Rain, Tani or Grass.

Sneaking into one of the five major ones? Not so much. He'd run into numerous problems with Sand, and their security was supposed to be the absolute weakest. You could see enemy ninja approaching from far away in the desert, so there was rarely a need for tight security.

Kumo? Theirs had to be one of the hardest to get through, Kane was sure.

Village of espionage and whatnot.

So how was he supposed to learn about the Chinoike?

Maybe he could find something in one of the smaller villages in the Country.

It was worth a shot.

* * *

Pain continued staring down at the floor, his arms crossed, as he leaned against the wall. Konan sat calmly in a chair nearby.

The two looked up as Tobi spiraled in, and Zetsu wasn't far behind.

"Well?" Pain asked calmly, and Tobi chuckled lowly.

"He's returned back to Konoha. The Fourth Hokage won't be interfering with us."

"He didn't call your bluff?" Konan asked, surprised.

"Who said it was a bluff?" Tobi fired back.

"Was it not?" Konan asked in confusion as she furrowed her brows.

Tobi walked to a nearby chair and sat down, crossing his legs.

"If the Fourth Hokage leaves the Hidden Leaf Village, we will assault it. It was no bluff. By the time he returned, Pain would have removed it from the map."

Konan frowned, "Can't the Yellow Flash just return to Konoha whenever he wants?"

Tobi shrugged, "Certainly. But he can't reach his daughter whenever he wants, and if he was going to return to the village the moment we attacked, why leave at all?"

Pain nodded, "So we make him choose. His daughter, or the village."

The masked leader nodded, "Make him hope he can catch her and return before the village is completely decimated, or make him hope that his daughter can survive on her own."

"Why wasn't it a bluff?" Konan asked, and Tobi stared at the girl.

"You'll have to be a little more specific."

"Why would we have assaulted Konoha? There's nothing to gain out of it, the Nine Tails isn't there."

"But the Hokage would also not be there." Pain said with a nod, clearly approving of the plan.

Konan frowned, "So?"

"So, what exactly will the Fourth and his daughter do with no Leaf Village left to return to?" Tobi asked good naturedly.

The blunette's frown deepened, "I don't know."

"And neither would they. They would be homeless, forced to leave when presented with nothing and nobody left. It would be so much easier to capture the Nine Tails if she had no village protecting her, don't you think?"

"It wasn't exactly easy catching Kane Sanguis when he was off on his own." White Zetsu pointed out.

"Be quiet, Zetsu." Pain ordered.

"Okayyy..."

Tobi continued to sit there comfortably, clearly in a good mood, "The Hokage has decided to stay within his village. Pain, you should prepare yourself. After Kane-kun has drawn a suitable amount of attention to himself, I want you to catch the Jinchuriki. _Both_ of them."

"Understood." Pain said with a slight nod.

"After Kane draws attention?" Konan asked curiously, and White Zetsu spoke up.

"Oh yes! The boy is quite the magnet for trouble! We should most definitely let him cause a commotion first, it should make our job much easier!"

"Yesss, and we'll continue watching over the boy." Black Zetsu said slowly. If it were possible to exude 'villainous' glee, Black Zetsu had done exactly that.

"See that you do." Tobi ordered.

Konan sighed, "It looks like everything is falling into place."

"There's still a lot that can happen, don't grow overconfident." Tobi said calmly.

Konan hummed, "Nobody can defeat Pain."

* * *

Kane glanced around curiously.

Once again, he found himself in a library! He'd come at night too, of course. As he'd always done.

It occurred to him in that moment, that he'd never actually entered a library legally, other than the one in Hoshi... Which he burned to the ground.

And yet, it was the place he felt most comfortable at in the entire world.

It was interesting how he'd found himself seeking them at quite a lot lately.

He wondered if maybe it was his subconscious, seeking reprieve and solace within the confines of the one place in the world he'd always felt safe. The one place he'd always called home.

 _Pffft,_ as if he was that whimsical. He just needed information.

He continued scanning the contents of the library, and Kane frowned as he realized something troublesome.

This library wasn't organized alphabetically.

Kane continued glancing through book after book, trying to find some sort of order and logic to the madness.

He couldn't find a single clue.

 _'Is it just this library, or is it possibly all the libraries in Lightning Country?'_

He closed his eyes in frustration at his own thought, realizing just how true that might be.

 _'Lightning Country, home of Kumogakure, the village known for espionage, saboteurs and secrecy... Yeah, of course all the libraries would be organized in a way only a local could understand.'_

This was a problem.

How was he supposed to find information on the Chinoike clan, if he couldn't even figure out how to search the library?

Kane pinched the bridge of his nose.

Looks like he'd be here for a while.

* * *

"How far are we?" Naruko asked, and Kakashi glanced around at his surroundings for a moment.

"Maybe two days. We're nearing the border of Hotsprings Country and Frost Country, but usually it takes around a day to get through Frost Country. Maybe three quarters of a day, if we're being precise. Half if we get through without any problems."

"Why does it take so long? Frost Country isn't that big." Sasuke asked curiously, and Kakashi nodded.

"It's not, but its location causes issues. It's the only way into Lightning Country unless you travel by boat, and it's also small enough that you can't travel through the area without walking directly through the Hidden Frost Village."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "The Dead Last's been in Lightning Country before this, and he should be there right now. How did he get through the village, being a Missing Shinobi?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Perhaps he went over the water. He's got quite the skill in regards to control over water, you know."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "So I've heard."

"Ugh, let's pick up the pace!" Naruko snapped.

* * *

He threw the book across the room, the spine slamming into a wall and a dull thud echoing across the library as it fell to the floor.

All night, he'd been here! All night tonight, all night the night before that, and all night the night before that! Three damned nights he'd been searching this _stupid_ library just in the hopes that he'd find _something_ of value! Three damned nights, and finally, _finally,_ he'd found a single book that discussed the History of Kumogakure and its clans...

The Chinoike were mentioned, and Kane had felt his heart soar with hope and happiness as he'd begun devouring the content within the pages.

Not a thing, not a _single thing,_ mentioned the Chinoike having any sort of affiliation to the Sanguis.

Kane found that, surprisingly enough, the Sanguis _were_ mentioned. Briefly. Nothing important, and definitely nothing he hadn't already known. They were nothing more than a simple footnote, really, but Kane didn't care about that.

What he cared about, was that not a _single_ thing mentioned a connection of any kind between the two clans.

Not even a note that mentioned how both of their kekkei genkai's involved blood!

Absolutely _ridiculous._

Kane sighed tiredly as he ran his hand down his face.

He'd just have to come back tonight, and try again.

It was morning already, light was shining in through the windows, and he knew it was time to go. Soon, the library would be open, and he was already going to struggle to escape the small town undetected. The longer he stayed, the more people would begin leaving their homes as they enjoyed a brand new day, and the more likely he was to be spotted by one of them.

It wasn't a big deal if he was spotted.

But it was a _huge_ deal if someone recognized that he was a Shinobi, and he bore no headband.

A Missing Ninja.

It's funny. Kane remembered when he first earned that title, after he abandoned Konoha and escaped Fire Country. It had felt so weird back then, so unnatural. So strange.

Now, it felt _right._

He wondered what that meant.

* * *

"Still nothing." White Zetsu moaned, and Black Zetsu growled lowly.

"Be quiet! We must be patient. If we are hasty, things could go seriously wrong."

Tobi chuckled lowly, "Indeed. Zetsu, has the Nine Tails reached Lightning Country yet?"

"Yes! She and her team entered the Country just over an hour ago!" White Zetsu said happily, and Tobi nodded.

"So we have not only Kane-kun running around Lightning Country, but Konoha ninja as well. Kumo isn't exactly known for letting foreigners explore their territory. There's a reason why they have the least amount of currently alive Missing Ninja, compared to all four other major Villages."

Zetsu looked beyond thrilled with his words, and Tobi looked thoughtful.

"Eventually, something has to give."

* * *

"Yo yo! This was meant to happen, ya kno~!"

The four Konoha Shinobi stared at the man rapping blankly.

"Is this guy for real?" Naruko whispered behind her hand to the others, and Kakashi scratched the back of his head in slight confusion.

"He had some nice flo, but the signs, they weren't there! He didn't sho', anything that proved he had the beast, and he had zero flair! Oh yeah~!"

Naruko glanced at the others incredulously, and she blinked in surprise to find both Kakashi and Sasuke not looking at her and not looking at the strange Kumo ninja before them, but looking at Sai.

Her mouth dropped open in shock as she found Sai giving a huge, bright, _genuine_ grin, his eyes closed shut and pearly white teeth on full display.

It was the first time any of them had seen the boy truly smile.

"I like him." Sai said simply.

* * *

Kane opened the door to the library carefully, glancing left and right, and was surprised when he didn't see a single person.

He quickly jumped out of the building and took cover within an alleyway, surveying the area with narrowed eyes.

Not a person in sight.

Normally, that would be a good thing, but the sun was up, the day had begun, and never before had he seen a town look so empty at this time in the morning.

This was the third morning in a row he'd left this towns library. The previous two times, he'd left much earlier than he was leaving now, and there had at least been _some_ civilians wandering the streets.

Now, not a sound could be heard.

 _'Something's wrong!'_

Kane jumped up to the roof of a nearby building, and he quickly scanned the town, looking for any sign of life.

 _Empty._

No, not just empty...

 _Evacuated._

Kane froze as he suddenly heard the sound of wet saliva come from behind him, a disgusted _**'ptui!'**_ following immediately after.

The sound of someone spitting in disgust.

He whirled around, and his eyes narrowed as he found a large, bulky man standing in front of him.

"Once was more than enough, you stupid boy. But now you've decided to enter my Country for the _second_ time?"

Kane grit his teeth as he realized exactly who he was talking to.

The Fourth Raikage, A.

* * *

End of Chapter 88

 _ **A/N:**_

 _ **New Traydox/Blood Bag Fanfiction Twitter Account!**_

 _ **at Traydox1 on Twitter**_

(Note: Traydox1, not Traydox)

I've had problems in the past that caused me to miss an update on a random day, as I'm sure you guys are well aware. In order to inform you guys when something happens that will lead to a chapter delay, instead of leaving you guys in the dark, I've created a new Twitter Account for _Blood Bag_ as well as for all future stories I release. It will also eventually include polls and questionnaires about a variety of things, such as votes on future stories and stuff like that. There may also be discussions about _Blood Bag_ , depending on how active the followers are.

This should help me inform you guys when something happens, such as me being unable to post a chapter one day for some reason, or I post two chapters in a single day.

This is being done as an experiment to test out a more efficient way of communicating with you guys. Whether I keep the Twitter account or get rid of it after we finish _Blood Bag_ depends on how well it goes. If you'd like to participate in the experiment, please follow the account, or don't follow but still be actively engaged. Either is fine!

Originally, this chapter included a very large ** _A/N_** detailing everything about the new account. Instead, I have posted the information under my Profile. Please check there if you'd like detailed information. That information will be removed in the future, most likely sometime following the next Intermission, so if you really want all the details please view that before it gets taken down!

Not interested? That's okay, you can ignore all of this, and pretend you never saw any of it. It'll be removed at a later date. For those of you who don't participate, don't worry, nothing is going to change; you just won't get information from me as quickly as the followers will. You'll get information from me at the exact same pace you have been this entire time. The others will just get it a bit faster.

Potentially interested? Check out my profile for more detailed information!

Chapter 89 is going to be released tomorrow early to late morning, sometime before noon! I am trying to fix my update schedule and move it back to the mornings, but please bare with me if sometimes the chapter doesn't come out until later in the day until I get into the routine again!

-Traydox


	92. Chapter 89

_"Yo, I thought he was Nine, but he didn't have nothin'! I wanted to battle and rhyme, but he ran away cluckin! Like a chicken! Oh yeah~!"_

"Okay, that's enough. Tell us who you are." Sasuke ordered with a glare, having had enough of the man's terrible rapping.

"You!" Bee shouted as he pointed at Naruko dramatically, and the girl jumped in surprise before looking left, then right, then back at him as she pointed one finger towards herself.

"Me?" She asked uncertainly.

"Yo! You're the one! No, you're the Nine! The Nine Tails host, and I'm the eight, and I met that fake, almost turned him into toast! Right on~!"

"Wait. Are you saying _you're_ the Eight Tails Jinchuriki?" Kakashi asked with a narrowed eye, and Killer Bee gave the sky double two-finger salutes as he screamed at the top of his lungs.

 _"This guy's nuts..."_ Sasuke whispered.

"I think he is claiming to be the Eight Tails, yes. He also seems to have fought Kane, I believe.

Everyone tensed at that.

"Tell us everything you know!" Naruko demanded.

Killer Bee gave a huge, confident grin.

 _"Right on!"_

* * *

"Yes, Zetsu?" Pain asked calmly, never even glancing at the creature as it grew from the wall.

"There seems to be some commotion going on in Lightning Country..." White Zetsu moaned, and Pain turned to face him, his stare penetrating.

"Well?" He asked calmly.

"We lost track of the Nine Tails after she got further into the Country. Too difficult to track, too many Kumo Shinobi prowling around." Black Zetsu said, and Pain nodded.

"As expected. And the Eight Tails?"

"We have no clue where he is."

Pain closed his eyes in thought.

"And the non-Jinchuriki?"

"Kane Sanguis has come across some serious altercation!" White Zetsu said happily, and Pain raised an eyebrow.

"Being?"

Black Zetsu spoke up, "He's engaged in one on one combat, or at least, he will be soon..." The creature trailed off, and Pain waited patiently for him to finish.

"And you'll never believe who he's going to fight."

* * *

He clenched his fists as he glared hatefully at the huge man before him.

Kane hadn't expected to run into the Raikage, but perhaps that was an oversight on his part. There's no way the hotheaded Raikage of Kumo wouldn't come personally the moment he got so much as a whiff of Kane being back in his territory. Not after all the trouble he caused last time.

"You're the one everyone keeps talking about, eh? Kane Sanguis?" A eyed him up and down distastefully.

Kane sneered at him, and A smirked haughtily in response.

"Such aggression. That's something I can respect. Everything else about you? Tch, not so much." A spat, literally spat, as he continued to smirk.

"Come here just to mock me?" Kane snapped, and A turned serious.

"No. I came here expecting to find a powerful Shinobi, the most famous person in the world right now, and instead all I find is a _little boy."_

Kane grit his teeth in anger.

Carefully, he glanced around the area. It didn't seem like the Raikage had reinforcements, but he wasn't exactly the best sensor out there.

He glanced at the sky.

A beautiful, sunny day.

Kane suddenly realized that this was the first time since his fight with Itachi Uchiha, that he found himself standing before a powerful opponent, and there was no chance of rain.

The thought unsettled him.

"No backup?" Kane asked, phishing for information.

The Raikage scoffed, "For what? The small little child standing before me?"

Kane remembered how his father had seemed so calm, so collected, and suddenly, the man's taunts no longer bothered him.

He stood up straight, taking a deep, steady breath.

A raised an eyebrow as he grunted, not pleased with the sudden change.

"If you don't have backup, maybe you should get lost, before you hurt yourself." Kane spoke coldly, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

The Raikage instantly became _furious._

"I'll teach you to speak proper, _boy!"_

* * *

As he stepped over the corpse of a Kumo Shinobi, several others littering the area, Pain stared out towards the Hidden Cloud Village.

The other five paths immediately fell in line behind him, and Konan could be found amongst their ranks.

"From here on out, we'll divide into a team for division, and another for the search. These are foreign lands to the Nine Tails, so we will be capturing the Eight Tails first, as he could prove much more difficult to find should he hide elsewhere in the Country. Zetsu will ensure nobody leaves the Country without us knowing, and if either of them attempt to flee, we'll catch them before they even make it halfway through Frost Country."

Konan nodded.

"Let's go." Pain ordered.

And his invasion of Kumogakure officially began.

* * *

 _"Haaah!"_ The Raikage screamed as he brought his fist down on a roof, the entire building collapsing from the force of the blow. Kane managed to jump away as he panted slightly, his eyes wide and panicked.

 _'Shit! Shit shit shit! Even when I heat up my blood, I can barely keep up with this guy! How is he so much faster than me?!'_

A cracked his neck as he walked out from a cloud of dust. The man glared aggressively towards Kane as lightning jumped across his body.

Kane's eyes widened.

 _'That's how! He does the same shit I do, only where I use blood and heat, he uses lightning and heat!'_

"You're pretty fast, _boy."_ A snarled, then charged at him once again.

Kane could barely even see the man move; his entire body was running on pure adrenaline and instinct.

He ducked, and A's fist went flying above his head. A quickly brought his leg up, attempting to knee him in the face, and Kane jumped away.

Then gasped as a leg came flying at him from the side, coming within inches of his body as he tumbled into another direction.

Kane watched as the lightning jumping across A's body made contact with his own, shocking him and causing him to collapse for a moment.

A grunted as he watched Kane fall to the ground, then brought a single fist back and launched it down towards him. Kane quickly got a grip on himself and jumped away, dodging yet again.

 _'I can't keep this up! This guy's too fast! He-'_

"Is this it?" A asked with a sneer, and Kane hesitated as he stared at the bulky man uncertainly.

"What?"

"Is _this it?_ All those stories about you, all that talk, all that hype, and this is all you've got? Boy, I'm not even _trying._ If I wanted to hit you by now, _I would have."_

The words were like a bucket of cold water being poured on top of him.

"What are you saying? Are you saying you're faster than this?!"

A scoffed, "Of course I am, boy! You think _this_ is as fast as I can go?"

Kane bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

Even though he'd spent so much of his training these past three years focusing on his speed, this guy was so much faster than him, even when he boiled his own blood, and he was _holding back._

"Here, _boy,_ let me show you!"

The Raikage launched himself into the sky like a rocket, bringing one foot up and above his head as he began descending upon Kane.

Kane's eyes widened in fear as he quickly dashed away as fast as he could.

 _"Guillotine Drop!"_

As A brought his foot down onto the earth, the resulting explosion sent Kane flying.

* * *

"What, really?! You really are friends with your demon?!" Naruko asked in complete shock, and Bee thumbed towards his chest with a cocky smirk.

"Me and the Eight are tight as can be, fool, ya fool!"

"Can you teach me?!" Naruko asked with stars in her eyes.

"Yeah yeah yeah! Fo sho! I'm glad you got the Nine Tails, yo! You're much more likable than that other guy. Real stick in the mud, yo!"

Naruko sobered at the reminder.

"Actually... We're kinda here because of him."

Bee raised an eyebrow.

* * *

He couldn't win! Not like this! Never like this!

 _'You have so much strength, Kane-kun... But your strength is conditional. With no water and no blood around, you have nothing! You're completely at the mercy of the environment in which you battle! A ninja like you will never defeat me.'_

He didn't know why he'd remember them, after all this time, but the words hit him like a kunai to the gut.

Orochimaru had been right... He'd never defeat a Shinobi like this in these conditions!

He needed rain. He needed blood. He needed _something!_

 _Wait._

Kane watched with wide eyes as he slowly stood up, wincing slightly, and the Raikage once again emerged from a cloud of smoke and dust.

The man bared his teeth at Kane.

"You're nothing but a disappointment. I'm through playing around. Ready to say your goodbyes, _boy_?"

Kane gave a huge, vicious grin at the man as he stared at him. A raised an eyebrow in confusion as Kane stood up straight, the psychotic grin still in place.

"Are you?"

A narrowed his eyes, but Kane just kept smiling as he stared.

Stared right at the small cut on the mans cheek.

"Fall for me, Fourth Raikage!" Kane yelled out, still grinning, and A's eyes went wide as he suddenly fell to the ground, his blood heating up from the inside out.

Kane walked slowly to the downed man, but the Raikage didn't tremble. He didn't cry out. He didn't flinch.

Not a single sign of even slight discomfort.

He just stared up at Kane, a calculating look in his eye.

Kane realized that this man was the second person to ever do this, and the first person had been the Eight Tails Jinchuriki.

 _'Perhaps that means there's something special about them!'_

The thought shook Kane, and he let out a quick shiver of delight at the possibility that what he sought may very well be right in front of him.

He glanced at the cut cheek. It was a small wound, but that was fine.

Slowly, he willed a tiny line of blood out of the man's cheek and into the air.

 _'... Nope, can already tell, this isn't it.'_ Kane thought as he snarled at the blood.

The Raikage continued to watch him quietly.

"Tell me about the Chinoike clan." Kane ordered casually as he continued steadily pulling a tiny amount of blood from the mans cheek.

"Hmm? Why do you ask, _boy?"_ The Raikage answered with not a single tremor in his voice. It was as if the man wasn't in any pain at all!

"Does it matter? Just tell me."

"Hmm. Alright then, boy. What do you want to know?"

Kane blinked, completely taken off guard by the mans easy acceptance. Wasn't he the Raikage of Kumo, the village of secrecy? Why would he...

Whatever.

"Anything you know about them. How many are left, what their names are, the relation they had with the Sanguis clan..." Kane looked at the man expectantly, but A just scoffed at him as if he were stupid.

"Connection with the Sanguis? Don't ask me, boy. I'm no historian. As for who's left, you're shit out of luck, boy. They're all extinct."

Kane felt rage at the consistent belittlement, and the news was definitely not what he wanted to hear.

"Quit calling me boy! This _boy_ has you flat on the ground."

The Raikage said nothing to that.

Kane kept glaring, "So you know nothing about the Chinoike, except that they're extinct?"

"That's what I said, _boy."_

Kane sneered as he halted his ministrations, a small ball of crimson now floating near him and the thin trail no longer exuding from the Raikage's cheek.

"Then there's nothing left for me here." Kane began turning around.

"Want to know why I call you boy, _boy?"_

Kane hesitated, staring at A sideways.

"Enlighten me." He said dismissively, not particularly caring and yet still curious.

"It's not because you're weak, or young, it's because you're _ignorant._ I could tell that about you the moment I saw you."

Kane's eyes narrowed, "Ignorant?"

A sneered, "You know nothing about what it means to be strong, _boy."_

Kane watched the man for several moments, before turning around completely, and walking away.

"And yet, you're the one on the ground." Kane fired back calmly as he continued his slow pace away from the downed Raikage.

"Just more proof that you are weak, _boy..."_ The Raikage sneered before trailing off.

Kane ignored him, his eyes locked onto the ball of blood in front of him as he continued walking.

 _"Never turn your back on an enemy that's still breathing."_

He wondered what he'd do with this. He might as well keep it; it could prove useful. He certainly could've used the boost in that fight, after all. Really, he'd gotten luck-

Time seemed to slow down for Kane as he felt it all at once.

He'd never let up, not a single bit, on the Raikage's body. The man was still burning, despite his neutral demeanor.

 _So why did Kane feel him moving?_

He began turning around, every fraction of a second feeling like an eternity, as he felt the Raikage grow closer.

He began willing the approaching figures blood to heat up to a critical boil. An instant, but painful death.

He'd been practicing; he could heat up somebodies blood nearly instantly, now. There was a delay, but it was so slight, so minuscule, that it had never mattered before.

Closer!

Kane hadn't ever thought a fraction of a second could be the difference.

Closer!

Kane hadn't ever thought somebody would be able to move while their blood boiled.

 _Closer!_

As he finished turning around, he found the Raikage moving passed him, his left fist stretched out and lightning jumping around his body.

Why was the Raikage running passed him?

Oh...

He hadn't run _passed_ him.

The Raikage had run _through him._

As Kane began falling towards the earth, he slowly looked down.

Down at the gaping hole where his heart used to be.

* * *

"Where is the Eight Tails?" Pain asked calmly, and the Kumo ninja beneath him snarled in response.

"I'll never betray Bee-sama!"

"Then you are of no use to me."

As Pain began sucking the mans soul out of his body, he glanced around curiously.

It didn't seem like the Eight Tails _or_ the Nine Tails were inside the village, and with the Raikage gone, there truly were none that could challenge him.

 _'Truly, there are none',_ he thought drily as he eyed the completely still body of a man named once named Darui.

* * *

"Something's wrong." Bee said with uncharacteristic severity, and Team 7 looked at him in surprise.

"What? What do you-"

"He's right." Kakashi cut Naruko off quickly as he removed his headband to reveal his Sharingan.

Kakashi turned to face Bee.

"Killer Bee, would you please take us to Kumogakure, and grant us your permission to enter the village?"

Bee only nodded, and the five quickly took off.

* * *

 _Ringing._

That's all he heard. The sound of _ringing_ in his ears.

He was shaking, and slowly, Kane lifted his head and looked down towards his chest.

What was left of it.

"Hmm? You're still alive, _boy?"_ The Raikage called out as he slowly approached.

Kane could feel him still, the Raikage, could still feel his blood... And yet, he couldn't bring himself to boil the man alive, murder him on the spot, he _couldn't..._

He would, oh Kami, he would... But he _couldn't._

All he could focus on was the gaping hole on his upper left chest, straight through where his heart is.

Where his heart _was._

The Raikage raised an eyebrow as he stared down at Kane.

Blood continued flowing through the gaping hole, flying across the open area and continuing along towards the rest of his body, as if there wasn't a huge area that lacked flesh and organs.

"You're making the blood stay inside your body? You're keeping yourself alive, even without a heart?" A asked curiously, "A pointless effort. You're as good as dead, _boy."_

Kane started letting out mild squeeks as his eyes began rolling towards the back of his head. He couldn't even moan or groan, struggling to even breathe as he'd lost his left lung.

Blood wasn't supposed to leave the body and then return. Not even his. Kane learned that lesson years ago.

 _Now, his entire body felt like it was being struck by cold, harsh lightning._

 _He couldn't see anymore. He could barely breathe. He felt so, so cold._

 _He was going to die._

The Raikage spit off to the side as he took a thumb and gently brushed it against the cut along his cheek, and the wound closed.

 _Kane couldn't even tell._

 _He didn't even know where he was anymore._

"You think a little bit of pain is enough to stop someone like me, _boy?"_

Kane didn't answer, his squeaks of desperation for air growing quieter and quieter as he felt himself fading away.

"I could've moved anytime I wanted to, _boy. That_ is what true strength is."

 _After everything he'd gone through, everything he'd survived, this..._

 _This is where he died._

The Raikage continued to stare down at the dying Missing Ninja with disgust.

"I'll put you out of your misery, _boy."_

A raised his arm, lightning coating the appendage as he gave one last glare towards the soon-to-be corpse.

Then, his eyes widened and he quickly jumped away as a disgusting _**'Squelch!'**_ rang throughout the area.

A white, man-looking creature crawled out from Kane's stomach, looking down at the dying Sanguis with a large smile.

"Oh no, this just won't do! We're not ready for the Raikage to return yet!" White Zetsu said, and the Raikage continued staring at the creature with wide eyes.

"Come on, Kane Sanguisss! Get up!" White Zetsu screamed with an almost psychotic sort of excitement, before slamming his arms into Kane over the hole in his chest. Kane's entire body bounced slightly from the force of the blow, and A growled lowly.

"What the hell are you?"

White Zetsu slowly turned to give a huge, shark-like smile back towards A.

"He's going to keep fighting nowww!"

A's eyes widened as White Zetsu jumped out from inside Kane's body, and the white substance filling Kane's chest slowly formed into _flesh._

Kane's eyes snapped open.

* * *

Black Zetsu slowly formed from out of the side of a building.

"You have news, Zetsu?" Pain asked calmly as he continued staring out at the village he was in the middle of destroying.

"Kane Sanguis fell in battle, but has been revived. He will keep the Raikage busy for some time yet, I think."

Pain kept quiet.

"It was a good plan, placing a clone of White Zetsu into Kane Sanguis, back when he was unconscious in our base after his fight with you. Not only did it allow us to keep track of him this entire time, but we were able to revive him, and now he can distract the Raikage even longer. A good plan indeed. Perhaps, the boy will even manage to kill off the Raikage for us." Black Zetsu added helpfully, and Pain shook his head.

"It doesn't matter. There wasn't even a need to revive him. We're done here."

Slowly, Pain started rising into the sky.

Black Zetsu quickly left, and Pain threw out both arms.

 _"Shinra Tensei!"_

And then, Kumo was no more.

* * *

Kane stood up slowly, staring down at his completely healed chest in bafflement.

 _'What...? What's going on?'_

"Kaaane Sanguisss!" White Zetsu cried out from the distance, the strange creature having taken refuge among some trees.

Both Kane and the Raikage stared out at the white plant.

"Fight, Kane Sanguis! Fight so you don't die again! Fight for your _survival_!" White Zetsu cheered, believing that word to be the perfect motivator for Kane.

He was right.

Kane's attention snapped towards the Raikage.

The man followed suit, spitting on the ground as he glared at Kane.

"I don't know what that thing is, but I'm going to kill you quickly this time, and then I'll kill that thing too." A said confidently.

Kane's eyes went wild as he felt for the blood on the ground that was not his own.

Slowly, the Raikage's still warm blood rose from the earth and flew towards Kane.

A raised an eyebrow, "Hmm? What are you going to do with that, _boy?"_

Kane sneered as he tilted his head back, and began drinking the blood.

The Raikage watched with a disgusted look on his face.

"Are you drinking my blood?! You bastaaard!" A screamed as lightning coated his body and he launched himself at Kane, throwing a punch right back towards his new heart.

A's eyes widened as Kane reached out, grabbed his wrist, and _slammed_ his arm into the ground in front of both of them.

A stared into Kane's eyes, and suddenly grew serious, his anger all but forgotten. Kane's eyes weren't the same as before. They were... _Feral. Bloodthirsty._

Something was different now.

* * *

Black Zetsu stood beside Pain, the completely ruined Cloud Village nothing but a huge crater, and the other five paths standing right behind him.

"There they are." Black Zetsu whispered, and Pain nodded as the creature slowly dissolved into the earth.

Pain watched neutrally as the five Shinobi appeared before him.

"The Nine Tails and the Eight Tails. It would appear the two of you have decided to come to me gift wrapped."

Naruko glared at the man hatefully.

 _He was going down!_

* * *

 _'Why?! Why am I not able to hurt this damned bastard?!'_ Kane screamed internally, his mind nearly completely lost to his bloodlust.

He had practically died, and it had not been a pleasant death. Then, he'd been revived somehow, and had immediately drank the Raikage's blood and engaged in combat once more.

Needless to say, he'd nearly lost control already.

Kane snarled as he slammed a fist into A, but the man had tilted his arm and forced Kane to punch him in the shoulder.

His hits weren't doing shit to this guy! No matter how hard he swung, the Raikage didn't so much as blink!

Kane sneered as he jumped away, avoiding a crushing blow from the Raikage.

A eyed Kane as the two launched towards each other once again.

 _'What did this boy do?! He's as fast as I am now! How is he doing this?!'_

As the two traded more unsuccessful blows, Kane snarled as he launched several water bullets towards the man.

A didn't even dodge. He simply leaned back, and _punched_ right through them.

He charged Kane, and as Kane dodged another punch, he took his chance. A flared his chakra, his electricity tripling in size as his entire lightning cloak grew and expanded to engulf Kane as well, attempting to electrocute the boy.

A let out a grunt of anger as Kane didn't so much as blink, the electricity bouncing off _him_ as well.

 _'So now my electricity doesn't effect him? What the hell is this boy?'_

A glanced behind him as he felt Chakra flying at him, and his eyes widened as the water bullets from earlier had formed two large tendrils of water, and were now closing on him.

"Is your water as fast as you are, _boy?"_ A asked as he jumped away, the tendrils and Kane quick to jump after him.

He grunted as he got his answer.

The water was fast, too.

As the boiling water descended upon him, A flared his chakra once again, and watched with a glare as the water landed on top of the electricity cloak as if it were a shield.

Kane snarled as he charged straight through the cloak, throwing another punch.

A blocked, then swung.

Kane dodged, then swung.

A ignored the blow, then swung.

Kane deflected the blow, then swung.

On and on they went, neither making any sort of headway, and A scowled in displeasure at how this fight was turning out.

A's eyes widened as he noticed a figure appear in the trees, right beside the white creature.

A figure wearing a familiar cloak.

 _'Akatsuki!'_

"Zetsu, it's time to go."

"Ohhh, so Pain has destroyed the Hidden Cloud Village?" White Zetsu asked curiously, and A froze at the words, completely ignoring the punch to the face Kane presented him with as he stared out at the two.

Tobi's eye narrowed, clearly not appreciating that Zetsu announced that fact.

 _"Come, Zetsu."_

"Okayyy..." White Zetsu moaned.

And the two disappeared.

A turned his attention back towards Kane as he blocked another blow, then he snarled and kicked out at the boy, attempting to force him away.

Kane dodged, but A turned around regardless.

"I don't have time for this, _boy!"_

A took off, then snarled and jumped away as a tendril of water flew at him from seemingly nowhere. He turned around and threw up another block as Kane was on top of him immediately.

 _'This boy isn't going to stop!'_

"Bleed! Why won't you just _bleed?!"_ Kane screamed at him, and A glanced over his shoulder.

He needed to get back to Kumo!

Kane whipped out a kunai, and A tensed.

The boy hadn't tried using weapons, yet.

He definitely couldn't let him draw blood!

Kane roared as he attempted to slash him several times until the Raikage finally swatted the kunai away, the weapon flying through the air and off into the woods.

"Get out of here, boy! I need to go!" A screamed as he jumped into the air.

 _"Lariaaaat!"_ He yelled as he attempted to slam Kane but ended up ramming the ground, Kane jumping away at the explosion he created.

A immediately used the cover to take off back in the direction of Kumo.

He didn't get far before turning and scowling, Kane chasing him and quickly gaining.

 _'This stupid bastard!'_

"I said, _LEAVE!"_ A roared as he grabbed a tree, completely tore out its roots as he picked it up, and _threw_ it at Kane.

Kane jumped away as the tree came flying, tearing down numerous other trees along its path and causing a huge line of destruction following its wake.

As Kane was busy dodging the falling trees around him, A took off.

When the last tree finally fell, Kane glanced around, searching for his enemy, only to find him nowhere in sight. He growled in frustration at that.

As his adrenaline died down, his body began relaxing. Now that he was no longer in the midst of combat, he knew it wouldn't be long before-

Kane snarled as he gripped his forehead, a bit more of his sanity returning as he felt the familiar pull.

The Blood Well would call to him soon.

He needed to get the hell out of here. He needed to find some place safe to rest while he was unconscious. He needed to come to terms with everything that happened today.

He may still be bloodlusting, but he knew one thing for sure... He was getting the hell out of Lightning Country, as soon as possible.

Kane turned towards a random direction, and jumped away.

* * *

End of Chapter 89


	93. Chapter 90

The sound of glass shattering interrupted the silence of the room.

He glared at his reflection, his eyes bloodshot and breathing ragged.

Kane didn't care that the glass cup he'd thrown into the wall wasn't his. He didn't care that he wasn't supposed to be here, in this dark motel room. He didn't care that when the owner of the motel asked him to pay before getting the room, he'd thrown the man across the room before threatening to take his life.

He didn't care one bit.

Nothing mattered much anymore.

Kami, he knew it was wrong, the way he was acting. He _knew._ But how could he be expected to keep an even, level head?

He hadn't slept in over six days.

Well, he'd slept. Some. Very little. Just enough to keep him from physically collapsing from exhaustion, but not enough to keep his sanity.

He was seeing hallucinations by now. They were minor, small things. He'd jump as he could've sworn he saw a person standing in the corner of the room, but in reality nobody was there. He'd hesitate as he felt Chakra signatures closing in on him, but then shake his head as he realized there wasn't anybody nearby. Little things, which put him on edge.

He needed to sleep.

But he _couldn't, damn it!_

Everytime he tried, he'd suddenly wake up to find himself in the _Blood Well._

 _Why did it keep calling to him?!_

There was nothing there. Nothing he needed to purify. So why was he being summoned?

It was the strangest thing, too. Ordinarily, the Blood Well dismisses him on its own as soon as he's finished purifying his blood. Now, it summons him, and he just... Walks around, until it releases him at a random moment.

Those were the only times he'd get any rest. That sleep during the time he was called to the Blood Well.

Other than that, his body absolutely refused to.

He was on edge, sleep deprived, paranoid, and out of options.

The Chinoike clan was extinct.

Where the hell was he supposed to go now?

He slammed his fist into the wall, his knuckles turning red as he formed a small hole.

He'd heard the rumors. The things that happened, while he was in Lightning Country.

Apparently, his presence there and his fight with the Raikage was the _least_ important thing going on at the time.

An even larger battle took place.

Not only had they been victorious against the Akatsuki, but apparently not a _single_ person died, other than the Akatsuki that is.

Kumo was gone, but its people remained.

 _'The heroes of Kumo.'_ Kane sneered internally.

Naruko Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha. Saviors of Kumo. The Konoha Duo.

Defeaters of Pain.

That last one put him on edge more than anything else.

Kane didn't care that they won. He didn't care that they were in Lightning Country for whatever reason. He didn't care that they'd grown strong.

He only cared about _Pain._

 _Pain_. It always came back to _Pain._ It was something Kane had realized, over these past six days.

Pain was the answer.

He wanted to find Pain. The _real_ Pain. He wanted to drink the Uzumaki's blood straight from the source.

Perhaps then, he'd find his perfection.

But _no!_ Pain was _dead now!_

Kane roared in rage as he punched another hole in the wall.

It couldn't be Pain, then! Pain was dead, so he wasn't the purest blood! It's the only thing that made sense!

He was right.

He _had to be._

Then _who, damnit?!_

Kane knew he had no answer for that.

He needed to do something. Every day, he felt himself slip just a little bit more. The sleepless nights were going to do him in, if he didn't fix it.

But how could he fix it when he didn't even know what was wrong?!

No, maybe he _did_ know what was wrong.

He'd died.

He'd _died!_

 _He died he died he died!_

How could he let himself be killed?! Slaughtered like an animal, by that man that was the Raikage!

He didn't know how he'd awoken. How he came back to life.

But he knew that he'd _died._

He hated him. The Fourth Raikage. He hated him _so much._

More than Pain. More than Naibu. More than Braenaru. More than Sasori. More than the masked man. More than _anyone_ he'd ever hated before!

 _His bones hurt..._

Shit.

How was he supposed to fix the problem, when the problem was that he should be _dead_ right now?!

His body was rejecting him because he'd failed! He'd allowed himself to be killed! He hadn't survived!

 _He should be dead..._

So how was he supposed to battle against Fate itself?!

Purity! That's how! He needed to find the purest blood! He'd figure out what to do with it after that.

 _It hurt to even breathe..._

He needed it!

 _He needed it!_

Who had it?!

He didn't know.

But, that was okay!

Kane had no clue, _no clue,_ who had the blood he sought. All he knew for sure was that they were from a prestigious clan, and that their blood would give him what he wanted.

He didn't know who they were.

 _But he knew where they were._

There was only one place possible! There was only one place they could be! They were there! He knew it! He knew it, he knew it for sure!

 _Konoha._

They were there. They were always there, right from the beginning!

The Uchiha. The Uzumaki. The Hyuuga. The... _All of them!_

Kane had known. Deep down, he'd _always_ known. The person he was searching for...

They were from Konoha.

He'd avoided it. He'd run from it. He'd denied it to his very core.

But he knew.

Now, he was running out of time.

Every day. _Every day,_ he lost another piece of himself. He was going to go _insane_ if he didn't get this blood. This blood was the only thing that would bring him peace! Bring him perfection!

 _He was so tired..._

He wished he could sleep.

Ohhh, Kami himself was blessing him with exactly that!

Yes, Kami, yes!

The Blood Well was calling to him. That meant he'd get _some_ sleep... A small moment of peace from his thoughts, from his Hell.

 _Six days..._

As he gently laid himself down onto the bed, his arms shaking, he let out a shaky sigh of relief, knowing he'd feel better after the Blood Well dismissed him.

He hoped it kept him longer this time.

As he stared up at the ceiling, waiting for the blissful darkness to consume him, Kane made his decision.

 _No more running._

He didn't care about the consequences anymore.

He'd heard he was _Kill On Sight_ now...

The thought made him chuckle bitterly.

He didn't care about what Konoha thought anymore. He didn't care what Naruko, or Sasuke, or Kakashi, or Karin, or _anyone_ thought!

He just wanted to sleep.

 _No, he just wanted to find the purest blood!_

So Kane would go.

Go to Fire Country. Go to each clan he could find. Go to _Konoha itself,_ if he must!

He'd find the purest.

Nobody would stop him.

 _Nobody!_

* * *

"Thanks again for the help." Darui spoke as he shook hands with Kakashi, the man giving him an eye-smile.

"Of course! It's the least we could do."

"Other than saving all our asses, you mean?" He asked with a pointed look towards Naruko and Sasuke.

"It's all in a day's work." Kakashi replied with a friendly tone.

"Hmph! As if we needed to get help from a couple of _Leaf_ ninja." Karui spat venomously, and Omoi just sighed. Naruko growled as she bared her teeth at the girl.

She did _not_ like her!

"Yo yo! Naruko~!" Naruko gave one last glare towards Karui before turning to Bee, who stood beside her.

"Yeah?"

"Whenever we meet again, I'll help you with that little fox problem, oh yeah~!"

Naruko grinned widely as she gained stars in her eyes, "Really?! You mean it, Octo-pops?!"

"Totally!"

As Naruko opened her mouth to respond, Sasuke placed his hand on her shoulder roughly, and Naruko turned to him with a questioning look. Sasuke's eyes were pointed straight ahead and he had a serious look on his face. Naruko turned and tensed up as well.

The Fourth Raikage gave the two a disgusted look as he approached, stopping several feet away from them.

Kakashi eye-smiled as he attempted to diffuse the sudden tension, "Raikage-sama. Once again, I thank you for allowing us to aid in your reconstruction attempts thus far, however I believe it is best if we leave the rest to you. We must return to Konoha now."

A's eyes trailed over to Kakashi for but a moment before he waved him off, "Yeah, tell your Hokage I send my regards." He said dismissively.

"Of course." Kakashi said with a slight nod.

A continued to eye Sasuke and Naruko up and down, one staring neutrally and the other glaring right back at him.

"The _'Heroes of Kumo'_ ," A spoke, using their recently given titles, "know that, despite our differences, you have Kumo's thanks. You have _my_ thanks."

Naruko's mouth dropped open in shock as Sasuke barely managed to keep a straight face.

After defeating Pain, the Akatsuki leader resurrected the entirety of Kumogakure's population, losing his life in the process.

Sasuke still wasn't sure how Naruko convinced him to do that.

The Raikage, A, hadn't spoken a word to them since, simply ordering that they be given whatever necessities they required and that they were required to assist Kumo in the rebuilding process.

Apparently, he hadn't been sure what to do with them.

But the people had.

 _'Heroes Of Kumo'_ , they were now called. Everywhere they went, they were greeted and thanked and _loved._

It was even more overwhelming than it was back in Konoha!

Not that they were complaining. It was just... Awkward, sometimes.

But now, it was time to go home.

As they said their goodbyes and began making their way out of the still rebuilding village, Naruko gave a small, disappointed smile.

They never did find Kane.

* * *

"Did you need something?"

Kane stared, his eyes jumping from one person to the next.

He wasn't sure, but he didn't think anyone here was from a clan. In fact, none of these people seemed to be ninja.

"Hey, are you okay?" A young girl, perhaps in her late twenties, asked as she approached him cautiously.

Wait, of course they weren't ninja! This was a traveling caravan, after all. No ninja escorts either. Most likely locals, native to Fire Country and merely moving.

But what if?

"Kid? Or, sorry... Young man?" The girl whispered. The people behind her, all significantly older than the young brunette in front of him, seemed tense.

Scared.

What if it was because one of them was _the one?!_

 _He needed to check!_

 _"Are you there?"_ The girl whispered as quietly as she could, gently placing her hand on his cheek.

Kane froze, his hand pausing in mid air.

The girl gasped as she took several quick steps backwards, tripping and falling down in the process, landing on her bum.

Kane stared down at the kunai in his hand.

Had he been about to...?

She stared up at him, terrified.

These were no ninja.

Kane turned and jumped away.

* * *

"They're being called heroes, you know. _She's_ being called a hero."

Jiraiya sounded so smug, Minato let out a sigh as he shook his head.

"Okay, I admit it. Maybe you were right, sensei."

Jiraiya nodded sagely, "Of course I was right! I'm always right! Haven't you learned that by now, kid?!"

Minato let out a small chuckle at that.

To think, Naru-chan, _his_ little Naru-chan, had defeated that man, Pain. To think, she'd become a hero to _Kumo,_ of all places!

She really was growing up.

Jiraiya grinned.

"They're coming home, you know. They should be here within the next few days."

Minato let out a small, slightly relieved smile.

"I'm glad."

* * *

Fire Country was beautiful.

Not that he could tell! Sometimes, he couldn't even tell where he was!

He needed sleep.

Kami, Kami, _Kami! He needed sleep!_

 _Please!_

And as he felt the Blood Well begin calling to him, Kane let out a half-mad laugh.

Kami answered him!

Or maybe it was Jashin?!

Who cared! Not him! He was just so happy!

Clearly, someone, _something,_ favored him. It was the only explanation to his prayers being answered!

Right?

Yeah!

Kane laid down on the soft grass as he propped his head up against the trunk of a large tree.

This would be where he rested.

He would get a good few hours, if he was lucky, and he would continue his hunt. So far, he'd found nothing, just a couple of civilians. He wondered if they even knew he was in the country yet?

He needed to hurry!

As the Blood Well called to him, Kane let out a small smile.

This was _exactly_ what he needed.

* * *

"Thank you, Hokage-sama!" Karin said gratefully as she bowed low, and Minato chuckled.

"I told you, Karin, call me Minato! You're apart of this family."

Karin gave a small grin and a happy nod in response.

"Anyway, like I said, you're free to spend the next day or two here if you'd like, but you need to get going as soon as you can. I promised your Kage that you'd return as soon as possible!"

"Okay! Thanks again, Hok-... Minato!" Karin said with a huge smile.

"Of course." Minato responded, his own small, fond grin on his face.

Karin couldn't believe this.

 _She was going home!_

* * *

Tobi stared out at the girl calmly, his eye narrowed threateningly.

"Why did you do it? Why would the two of you betray the Akatsuki? What could you have possibly seen in _Naruko Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha,_ to lead you down this path?"

"It wasn't the Uchiha." Konan responded calmly, and Tobi looked interested.

"Oh? So the girl, then."

Konan nodded, "Naruko is the bridge of hope! And I... I shall be one of her pillars!"

She pointed at him, "You wear the cloak of the Akatsuki! That is not yours! _We_ are not the traitors to the Akatsuki, as we were the ones who founded it! _You_ will never get your hands on the jewel of Ame! The Rinnegan is the proof that good things will come to these lands, some day!"

Tobi stared at the girl, seemingly unaffected by her words.

"From where I'm standing, from my point of view, you come off as nothing more than a foolish, ignorant little girl."

Konan grit her teeth angrily as she glared at him, but Tobi continued on.

"You've got some things mixed up, but because I'm about to kill you anyway, I'll tell you!"

Konan blinked in surprise at that, but before she could speak up, Tobi continued.

"The one who founded the Akatsuki, the one who urged Yahiko into creating it, that was me."

Konan gasped and shook her head in denial, and Tobi's eye narrowed dangerously.

"And the one who _gave_ Nagato the Rinnegan?"

Konan froze.

Tobi didn't hesitate.

 _"Was also me."_

As the two continued to glare at each other, Konan shaking her head in denial, Tobi continued planning in his mind.

He would kill the girl, take Madara's Rinnegan, and go from there.

Pain's death and, more importantly, his betrayal set him back.

He would have to rely on Kisame to do his job correctly.

To think, the Eight and Nine Tails were together, right there, _easy pickings..._

And Pain _failed._

There was no hope, after that. With the Raikage's return, Tobi knew they were out of his grasp.

For now.

He wondered what he'd do next.

Maybe he'd see what Kane Sanguis did. The wild card was still out there, roaming around... All hope was not lost yet.

Regardless, he had something to do right here.

He took one last scrutinizing look at the blue haired woman.

Such a shame, to lose one so powerful. She could have continued being a powerful asset to the Akatsuki.

But by the end of the day...

She'd be dead.

* * *

His eyes opened slowly and he rubbed them with both hands.

Kami, he felt _so_ much better. The Blood Well kept him for the longest amount of time to date, having been walking around the Red Sea for hours upon hours.

It wasn't enough, though. He was still tired, but he definitely felt better. More... Normal.

He didn't feel so weak, either.

Good.

He'd need that strength.

Kane knew he was running on borrowed time. Every hour he spent awake, was an hour closer towards losing his damn mind.

He didn't have time to play around. He needed to feel the blood of each clan, and feel it _fast._

The fastest way to do _that_ would be to go to the source... Attack Konoha...

As if he were that stupid.

Even if the Fourth Hokage weren't there, there's _no way_ he would last very long. Hell, he wouldn't even make it to the village.

He needed this blood, and he needed it _now_ though.

His best bet, he supposed, was to simply... Run around Fire Country, hoping to run into them...

And hoping he didn't run into any Anbu. _That_ would cause some problems.

Was he doing the right thing?

The thought gave him pause. He'd been... Not exactly in the right state of mind, when he'd made the decision to come to FIre Country.

Was this really what he wanted? Kane knew, if he began stirring up trouble in Fire Country...

He might lose his chance to go back to Konoha forever.

But did he really care about that?

He kept telling himself he didn't, and yet...

Why did the thought make him hesitate? Make him cringe?

No, it didn't matter. He was Kill On Sight, now. Konoha had made its stance clear.

It was already too late.

There was no point sitting around anymore.

He needed to move.

* * *

As Karin stared out of the village gates, she bit her lip, hesitating.

"Hey, are you alright?" Izumo asked with concern, and Kotetsu nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I'm just... Thinking."

"Well, take your time, but let us know if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks."

Why was she still here? It was time to go! Time to return to Tani, like she'd always planned to do! She wanted to see her home. Her _Mother!_ Kami, she'd missed her mother more than anything else!

So _why was she hesitating?!_

Karin didn't understand, but something kept her rooted to her spot.

She had a bad, _bad_ feeling.

* * *

"Who are you?" The man with the spiky ponytail and two scars on the right side of his face asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"No headband, approached us from the trees... This is a Missing Ninja." One of his allies responded.

"You!" Kane snapped, his eyes wide and wild as he pointed towards the man with the ponytail.

"What do you want, Rogue?! You're in Konoha's territory!" Another one of his allies growled out.

The man in the ponytail narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you?"

Kane continued staring at him with a wild look, "You're from the Nara clan, aren't you?! The shadow users!"

Shikaku Nara narrowed his eyes.

Kane turned and pointed at his two teammates.

"You're the Ino-Shika-Chou trio! I _knew_ it!"

Shikaku glanced at Inoichi and Chouza, the three giving each other pointed looks and knowing they were on the same page.

"You're the clan heads, aren't you?! What luck! I found the _exact_ people I wanted to see!" Kane sneered, and Shikaku's eyes widened.

"Wait a minute, I recognize you... You're that Sanguis kid!" Shikaku gasped, and Inoichi and Chouza both looked surprised at the news.

"He's registered as Kill On Sight in the Bingo Book." Chouza spoke seriously.

"Then you know what we have to do." Inoichi announced.

"Out on a mission, are you?! Or maybe something else? I heard your trio disbanded and now Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji are supposed to be the new trio!" Kane nearly yelled, as if he didn't hear a word they'd spoken to each other, "Well sorry, but I'm going to have to interrupt whatever it is you're doing!"

Shikaku took this moment to speak up, "Kane Sanguis, you-"

 _"Give me your blood!"_

The trio looked completely taken off guard, "Wha-"

And Kane charged.

* * *

End of Chapter 90


	94. Chapter 91

"I bring news."

Minato glanced up from his paperwork, his cheek propped against his fist, as he looked at his sensei sitting in the window.

"What is it, Jiraiya-sensei?"

Jiraiya frowned, and Minato frowned right back before sitting up and brushing the paperwork to the side.

"The kid made it out alive."

Minato gave him an odd look, "The kid? You mean Kane-kun?"

Jiraiya nodded, "Yeah. Thought he might be dead after we found out he fought the Raikage, but it turns out he managed to escape."

Minato frowned, "You don't sound pleased about that fact."

Jiraiya scowled, "Turns out, the kid is in Hotsprings Country. Or at least, he was recently."

"That makes sense, considering you have to cross it to get out of Frost Country." Minato responded, unsure why the news was so bothersome to the older man.

"Yeah, well, the kid hasn't exactly been friendly over there." Jiraiya said as he kept scowling.

"What do you mean?"

"What is it with that kid and libraries?" Jiraiya asked out of the blue, and Minato blinked in surprise.

"Sensei?"

"Apparently, the brat broke into a library in one of the bigger towns near the Hot Springs Village. He didn't even seem to care about keeping it a secret; he did it in broad daylight, fighting off a couple of the local ninja before leaving the town.

Minato frowned, "Do you know what he was looking for?"

Jiraiya shook his head, "No, and nobody knows what he took, if anything. He made a serious mess of the entire place. Whatever he was searching for, he wasn't wasting time."

Minato hummed thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin, "Do we know where Kane-kun is right now?"

"No, but if I had to take a guess, he's probably not in Hotsprings Country anymore."

* * *

Shikaku grunted as he blocked a punch, Kane snarling in his face. He glanced to his right for just a moment, and Chouza understood immediately.

Kane tilted his head as Chouza appeared beside the two of them, and watched as the Akimichi's fist more than tripled in size.

 _"Expansion Jutsu!"_ Chouza roared as he swung the large fist towards Kane.

He attempted to jump out the way, but his eyes widened as he suddenly found himself unable to move, his shadow connected to Shikaku's.

Kane watched as Chouza's fist slammed into him, sending him flying and rolling across the dirt. He slid on his arms and legs as his momentum slowed down, leaving him in the crawling position as he glared at the legendary trio.

He snapped to attention as he found numerous shadow tendrils flying through the air and closing in on him, and Kane quickly jumped away.

Inoichi chose this moment to jump in.

 _"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"_ He called out as he launched his consciousness towards Kane, striking true as Kane suddenly stilled.

The shadows stopped as Shikaku smirked, "Good job, Inoichi." Shikaku took a moment to look around. Trees and dense forest on the side closest to Kane, a blazing hot sunshine caressing the earth in the midday, and open fields with tall grass for as far as you could see.

'Kane' stood there, his head facing the sky and his mouth opened as he trembled, as if struggling to stand.

Shikaku and Chouza both frowned, and then watched as 'Kane' stopped trembling and faced them, his eyes wild and unhinged.

Kane tilted his head to the side, as if curious.

Then, Inoichi coughed and gagged as he fell to the ground, his mind having returned to his body.

"Inoichi! What happened?!" Chouza called out in alarm, and Inoichi glared at Kane as he grit his teeth.

"I don't know! When I jumped into his body, it _hurt!_ It felt like my entire being was on _fire!_ I couldn't take it, I had to get out of there!"

Shikaku frowned as he eyed Kane up and down.

Before he could speak, Kane charged them once more. Chouza jumped to meet him halfway, the two prepared to trade blows.

Just before the two collided, Chouza gasped as he suddenly jumped out of the way, Kane snarling and jumping after him. Chouza continued to block and dodge as Inoichi cupped his hands around his lips.

"Chouza! You must not engage this boy in Taijutsu! If he manages to get even a single cut, you have lost!" Inoichi called out to the man as Shikaku continued controlling Chouza's body.

"Understood!" Chouza yelled out, and Shikaku released the man as he watched the battle closely.

For a big guy, Chouza was quite nimble, and despite being faster, Kane was struggling to land a solid blow on the man.

"Shikaku! I wanted to use the Mind Transfer Jutsu in order to physically walk the boy back to Konoha, but that's clearly not an option! I'm going to look for an opening, and hit him with the Mind Body Disturbance Technique instead!" Inoichi spoke, keeping his voice down to keep Kane from hearing.

Shikaku nodded slightly in agreement.

Kane jumped back as he performed several quick handsigns.

 _"Water Style: Water Bullets!"_

As three balls of water flew, one at each person, Shikaku moaned.

"What a drag... Hey, guys, don't forget that this kid can manipulate water!"

"Aw shit!" Chouza said as he jumped away, only for the water to continue following him.

 _"Be my guinea pigs!"_ Kane suddenly yelled as he pulled out a small scroll. The three men continued playing cat and mouse with the water as they kept a close eye on Kane. Chouza grew his arm to a larger size, grabbed a tree, and _threw_ it at Kane before going right back to dodging the water.

Kane did a simple front flip over the tree before landing and smiling viciously, the scroll going _**'Poof!'**_ and a small smoke cloud hiding Kane's arms and torso from view.

The three watched, tense, as the water bullets each stopped chasing them down and began simply floating in the air. As the smoke cleared, they...

Blinked in surprise.

One in each hand, Kane held two large, one-handed shurikens.

He continued smirking as he eyed them, "I'm kind of in a rush, but I want to try something first! I haven't gotten much sleep lately, you know." He said matter of factly.

Chouza charged him, and Kane's smile widened.

"So I've had plenty of free time recently!"

Shikaku's eyes widened and he whirled around to face Inoichi, the man nodding immediately and placing two fingers to his forehead.

 _'Chouza! Stop!'_ Inoichi ordered telepathically, and the large man tripped and stumbled several steps before catching himself.

One of the floating water bullets had been steadily making its way towards Kane, and the water soon gently came down to engulf the two large shurikens, Kane releasing them and the water lifted them into the air.

He quickly performed several hand signs, "Let's see how this goes!"

 _"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"_ Kane yelled as he fired off a giant fireball towards Chouza, the man jumping backwards and watching as the fireball seemed to grow bigger.

And bigger.

And _bigger._

Shikaku's eyes widened as he realized what Kane was doing.

 _"Wind Style: Air Bullets!"_ Kane yelled as he continued firing off air bullets into the flames, increasing its size by over twofold.

Inoichi landed beside Chouza.

 _"Water Sty-"_

 _"No!"_ Shikaku screamed, and the man stopped halfway.

Chouza stepped forward.

 _"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"_ Chouza yelled as a giant wall of dirt grew from the earth, the giant fireball crashing into it and breaking through.

The two men jumped back as Shikaku landed beside them, quickly performing hand signs simultaneously with Chouza.

 _"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"_ The two hollered together, and an even greater wall of earth grew from the dirt.

The fireball crashed into the wall, the flames dissipating and a huge amount of smoking surrounding the area.

Inoichi's eyes widened.

 _"Watch out!"_

The trio scattered as from the smoke, twin balls of water flew out, a large shuriken held within each one.

The water seemed to practically _throw_ the shurikens, one towards Inoichi and one towards Chouza, as the water suddenly took off towards Shikaku.

Shikaku, instead of eyeing the water, watched the shuriken flying closest to him.

He gasped as he saw it.

The water was meant to distract him!

 _"They're infused with Wind Chakra!"_ Shikaku yelled.

Trailing off from each of the four points on both shurikens, Wind Chakra molded into sharp points could just barely be seen, increasing the true size of the blades by a significant amount.

Chouza, rather than deflecting with his fist like he originally planned, fell to his back and kicked up with all his might, launching the shuriken into the air and away from him. Inoichi ducked far more than he would have had he not known about the Wind Chakra, and even still the man frowned as several blonde hairs were cut off and began falling towards the ground.

As Shikaku jumped away from the water, the three got back into battle positions.

Kane walked out from the smoke, raising an eyebrow as his eyes still held the same off-kilter look to them.

"Well, I'd say that's pretty good, implementing a Chakra Nature I've had all of four days to learn into both of my other natures. I still have some ways to go though." Kane spoke casually, as if he hadn't just tried to take their lives.

He smirked as the trio tensed, Shikaku's eyes widening as he turned to glance behind him.

 _"The water bullets!"_

The three scattered yet again as the still floating water bullets from before resumed their assault.

Kane watched with narrowed eyes as the trio continued dodging the water over and over again, and Shikaku's eyes widened.

 _'Got him!'_

Kane froze as he lost control of his body. He glanced behind himself with a slight tilt of the head, and found a shadow connected to his own and trailing out from the trees nearby.

"Is that all?" Kane drawled, and Shikaku raised an eyebrow.

Kane's eyes widened as a hand made of pure darkness began slowly wrapping up and around his body, slowly making its way towards his neck.

Kane sneered as Shikaku smirked.

 _"Shikaku, watch out!"_ Chouza screamed, and Shikaku turned just in time to see a water bullet slam into his gut, launching the man and making him lose control of Kane.

Chouza roared as he charged towards Kane, the Akimichi growing bigger and bigger as he began dwarfing the area. Inoichi maneuvered himself behind Kane as he prepared himself.

A pained grunt sounded across the battlefield, and Chouza and Inoichi both froze as they turned to look at their downed comrade.

Shikaku had numerous cuts along his body, bleeding profusely. Chouza and Inoichi stared in horror as blood was steadily flowing out from the dozens of cuts lining his body and into the air, floating.

Kane pointed at Inoichi.

"You next."

Inoichi glared as he began performing several hand signs, and Kane's eyes went wide with pure rage.

Shikaku, despite his attempts to hold them back, let out a deep cry of pain as his body shook, and Inoichi froze once more.

"Did I stutter?! _You next!"_ Kane snarled, and Inoichi looked at the trembling Shikaku in concern.

Inoichi quickly aimed his _Mind Body Disturbance Technique_ at Kane, clearly planning on taking control of Kane without swapping bodies.

Shikaku again bit back a cry of pain as Kane burned his blood even further.

 _"_ Try it! I _dare_ you!" Kane snarled, and Inoichi slowly put his hands up in surrender.

"What do you want?" The blonde man asked cautiously, and Kane sneered.

"What do you think?! Cut yourself! Take a kunai, and draw it across your skin, until you see red!"

Inoichi glanced at Chouza, the man looking lost as he glanced between Kane and Shikaku, and Kane grew even angrier.

 _"Now!"_ Kane roared, and Inoichi and Chouza both watched in horror as Shikaku began _floating_ into the air, blood flying out of him at a rapid rate.

Inoichi didn't hesitate a second time. He pulled out a kunai, fearing for his friends life, and drew a line across his arm. The moment Kane felt Inoichi's blood, Shikaku dropped from the air, but his blood remained behind.

Inoichi groaned as he collapsed, and Kane turned to face Chouza, a heated glare on his face.

"Well?" Kane snapped impatiently, and Chouza growled before doing the same thing as Inoichi.

Kane let out a vicious smirk, satisfied, as the two men's blood began flowing from their arms and into the air.

Then, his smile fell away as he examined the feel of each clans blood.

Dirty. Murky. Not as rough as the mud, but similar to a wet swamp. Better than most, but still filthy.

 _None of them were pure in the slightest!_

Kane screamed in rage as the three clansmen watched him, each still shaking on the ground and holding back groans of pain.

 _None of them! He needed to find the purest blood, and he needed to find it now!_

Sometimes, he wasn't sure if he was thinking straight or not. He wasn't sure if he'd recovered enough from his short time in the Blood Well, or if he was still struggling to get a grip on reality; and it was only going to get worse.

The thought terrified him.

He wasn't tired right now. What did that mean? His adrenaline was pumping, sure, but shouldn't he still feel tired?

Maybe not. Maybe, even worse than that, he would grow even _more_ tired once his body calmed down.

 _He needed to find the perfection!_

This was all that _damned_ Raikage's fault! If that bastard hadn't killed him, none of this would be happening right now!

He could've killed him, too. Kane could've killed him! He'd been tricked, and the man had fought right through the pain as if it were nothing! But Kane had him right where he wanted him!

 _If he'd just killed the bastard..._

 _None of this would be happening._

Kane froze as he tilted his head to the side, glancing at each of the downed trio carefully.

 _Maybe he should start doing that now?_

The thought didn't do what he'd expected it to. There was no shiver, no urge to recoil, no feeling of disgust, no excitement, no _nothing._

Instead, all it did was make his lips feel dry all of a sudden.

He licked his lips slowly, his eyes closing.

 _He needed to sleep._

If he started killing his enemies, it would make things _so_ much easier. Safer, too, because then there wouldn't be another 'Raikage' incident. He was already Kill On Sight, it's not like his status could get any worse at this point.

 _Nothing was stopping him anymore._

It would be so easy, killing these three. Like squashing a bug. Over in an instant. Just a simple little _push,_ and they were _gone. Forever._

Why shouldn't he?! There was no reason not to! Nothing to gain out of letting them live! If he let them go, Konoha would _definitely_ know he was here, if they didn't already. If he killed them, and Konoha _didn't_ know he was here, it would take them that much longer to figure it out!

 _Do it._

It was his own voice, commanding himself to commit the act, to finally cross that final line. It was his own voice, and yet it didn't feel like his own. It felt like someone else had come into his mind, commanding him to do something he wasn't sure he wanted to do.

But it was _so very tempting._

Kane stared at the three, his eyes crazy as he raised his hand up in a display of theatrics.

He locked eyes with Shikaku Nara, and it felt as if the man could read him like an open book. As if he _understood._

 _Do it._

 _Do it._

 _Do it!_

His outstretched arm started shaking.

 _Why couldn't he do it?_

Kane turned and took off, leaving the three Leaf ninja behind.

* * *

Kane remembered how, once, the soothing sensation of water was his lifeline.

 _Damn the water._

It couldn't compete. There _was_ no competition. That feeling, that ecstasy of tasting _Pure_ blood...

Nothing could compare.

As he walked beside a large pond, he sneered at the water.

Kane would prefer if it was gone right now.

He'd never felt that way about it before.

Things change.

As he walked along the road, his mind in complete turmoil, Kane found he was suddenly surrounded.

By bandits.

It reminded him of how when he was younger, when he was still in Konoha, defeating bandits had felt like such an achievement. It had been proof that he was growing.

Now?

 _ **'Pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!' 'pop!'**_

Tendrils of water shot out from the pond, making quick work of the bandits as they boiled alive.

Kane couldn't even be bothered to slow down his stride.

* * *

What had his life become?

Kane was desperate. The only sleep he received was when the Blood Well summoned him, and that was inconsistent in both how long it keeps him and when it takes him.

At least it wouldn't call him while he was fighting.

He hoped.

Here he was, traveling Fire Country, still a Missing Ninja, looking for something that might not even exist.

Kane whirled around, as if it had been somebody _else_ to have that thought run through their head.

He was only one around.

It existed! _It did!_

 _It had to._

If Kane had never lost to Pain, none of this would have happened. If Kane had never lost to A, none of this would have happened.

His only goal in life had been to survive, and the two instances in which he _failed_ to win a battle, led to severe consequences.

 _No more._

Kane decided, then and there, that it was time to revitalize his drive. His hatred of _losing._

If he had never lost, none of this would have happened.

So Kane swore, in that moment, that he would never lose again.

 _Not to anyone._

* * *

How had he done it?

Shikaku Nara had been under his control, but that time... It felt _different._ He'd actually willed the man into the air! His control over Shikaku's blood had been so powerful, he quite literally forced the man's body to float!

But the question remained.

 _How had he done it?_

He'd never done something like that before. Apparently, Naibu could do it, but Kane certainly hadn't ever shown that type of control.

Until now.

He wondered what it meant. Did it mean anything at all? Was it a sign?

Where was he going to go now?

He wasn't sure. He was just... Roaming Fire Country.

A risky thing to do.

But he was doing it. He'd lucked out; he knocked off _three_ clans on his list.

The more he thought about it, the more he was starting to feel like that was a waste of time. Going after _every_ clan. Surely, clans like the Inuzuka weren't the purest of the pure, right?

No, it would be someone else.

Someone like the Hyuuga... Or the Uchiha...

Yeah, that's what he'd try to find next.

He wondered if he could get ahold of Itachi Uchiha again.

The thought made him shiver in delight.

He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Next time, Itachi Uchiha was going _down._

Well, he would be, if he weren't dead already.

Kane smirked, knowing that he had won that battle on that day, despite anyone's opinions to the contrary.

He was alive, and Itachi Uchiha was likely buried in the dirt somewhere.

 _'I wonder if Sasuke knows... Knows that I killed his brother.'_

For some reason, the thought didn't bother him anymore.

All he cared about was finding _perfection._

 _'Hyuuga, Uchiha... I'm coming for you next.'_

* * *

End of Chapter 91

 _ **A/N:**_

Several of you have asked about a 'Double Update' to make up for the missed day this weekend. You're going to be disappointed when I say that there won't be a double-update to make up for it. Trust that I have a good reason for this, and it'll be made clear as to why at a later date.

Also, I've had questions regarding Fan-Art. Honestly, I hadn't even considered that there may be people wanting to create fanart for the story. For those that are interested, I would absolutely love for you guys to send your Fanart to me!

Anything sent to me will be posted onto the Twitter Account as well as my profile page, and (obviously) whatever name you wish to give to me (real name, username, whatever) will be credited as the Artist. If you for some reason want to send me fanart but _**don't**_ want it to be made public, that's _also_ perfectly acceptable.

I haven't actually figured out how to upload pictures to Twitter yet, but I'm sure it's not very difficult. Message me and we can discuss how you're going to deliver the art to me, and how you would like to be credited!

"What does Kane _look_ like, exactly? What's he wearing, how tall is he, etc..."

That's for _you_ to decide. Brown hair, blue eyes, scar on the left side of his neck, and the same height as Sasuke. The rest is up to your own interpretation.

Want to draw Kane? Draw him in the way you envision him!

Note: This _**A/N**_ will be removed at a later date, and the Fanart discussion will be placed into the next Intermission.

-Traydox


	95. Chapter 92

He remembered a time, so long ago, when he'd thought he was lost.

When he'd thought that the world was against him, and he would fight back with all his might until it did him in.

He never expected to be saved, by the man with golden hair and the heart of a lion. He never expected it would be the Fourth Hokage himself, that straightened him out. That set him on a new, brighter path in life.

He never thought he'd be a sensei to a team of Genins.

A team that was his family.

The young brown haired boy growled lowly, fire in his eyes as he glared at his teammate.

"Just because you graduated the academy a year early, you think you're so much better than everyone else!"

The girl didn't so much as glance at him as the four kept walking, "Not everyone. Just you."

The boy looked outraged before the senior ninja cut them both off with a harsh glare.

"Konohamaru! Hanabi! That's enough!" Their Jounin sensei ordered, and Konohamaru started pouting childishly as Hanabi merely nodded.

Their third team member sighed, the young boy shaking his head in disappointment, "Our first C-Ranked mission, and you two are already at each others throats."

Konohamaru suddenly struck a pose as he pointed an offending finger at Hanabi, "She started it, Udon!"

Hanabi just ignored them.

"Konohamaru!" Their sensei snapped, and Konohamaru shivered in fear before standing straight and walking military style.

Their sensei suddenly froze, and the three Genin looked up at the man curiously.

"What's wrong, Mizuki-sensei? You-"

 _"Get back!"_ The white haired man suddenly screamed and Udon jumped in fright as Hanabi and Konohamaru quickly grabbed the boy and jumped backwards. The trio watched as suddenly, Mizuki was engaged in combat with a man they'd never seen before, the two ninja's kunai clashing for a moment before Mizuki jumped backwards.

The white haired Jounin threw both arms out, intending on keeping the attacker away from his Genin.

Away from his _family._

Mizuki's eyes widened as he realized who was standing in front of him.

"You! Y-y-you're..." He trailed off, his eyes wide and mouth dropped open.

Kane tilted his head to the side curiously for a moment, then his eyes went wide as he charged Mizuki, his skin turning red.

The three Genin gasped as Kane drew his kunai across Mizuki's shoulder, the man immediately falling to the ground with a loud cry of pain.

Kane ignored Mizuki as he stared at the three Genin, his eyes jumping back and forth between Hanabi and Konohamaru as the knife in his hand slowly dripped Mizuki's blood from the tip.

Hanabi growled quietly as she got into a fighting stance, Udon cowering behind her.

"You'll pay for touching our sensei! Right guys?!" Hanabi called out.

The young Hyuuga girl glanced over her shoulder at the cowering Udon, who promptly shook his head in flat denial. Hanabi glared before turning her head to look at Konohamaru, and was surprised to find the other boy standing there, staring at Kane.

"Konohamaru?" She asked, wondering why he wasn't getting ready for a fight. She was going to need him!

"I know him..." Konohamaru whispered, and Hanabi blinked in surprise.

"Him?!" She asked in complete disbelief as she pointed towards Kane, who still stood there watching, "You know _him?!_ "

Konohamaru just nodded before narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah! I recognize you! You're Kane Sanguis! Naru-chan always talks about you!" Konohamaru called out as he flailed his arms wildly.

Kane just kept staring, his eyes wide.

"A Hyuuga..." Kane whispered as he eyed Hanabi, and the young girl recoiled in slight fear and disgust.

This was perfect.

 _Perfect!_

He had a _Hyuuga!_ They were the most renowned clan in Konoha, right alongside the Uchiha.

The blood of the Hyuuga was almost assuredly what he sought!

Kane glanced at the still fuming Konohamaru, "And a Sarutobi to boot."

Konohamaru looked at him in confusion, "Huh?"

Kane took a step forward, intending on taking both of their blood, and the three Genin all tensed before taking half a step backwards.

Kane suddenly froze as he felt the man at his feet move, grabbing his ankle as he glared up at Kane while trembling. Kane stared down, his eyes wide with anger.

This bastard was interrupting him!

 _"Get off!"_ Kane snapped, and Mizuki merely bit his lip, drawing blood, as Kane began heating up his blood even further.

 _"I won't let you touch those kids...!"_ Mizuki whispered, and Kane looked at the man in surprise.

Mizuki gave him a pained, cocky grin, "I'm a ninja of Konoha... I won't let you touch those kids! They are the future of the world! They are the ones who will inherit the _Will of Fire!"_

As Mizuki continued to give him a proud smile, Kane sneered.

"You're filthy! Your blood is not worthy! Get _off of me!"_ Kane roared as he kicked Mizuki in the temple, knocking the man out cold.

 _"Mizuki-sensei!"_ Konohamaru screamed, and Hanabi gasped and got back into her Juken stance as Kane suddenly appeared in front of the three.

Konohamaru stared up at Kane with wide, terrified eyes.

Kane stared right back, his eyes wild and _hungry._

He took his kunai, and swiped it across the Genin's shoulder.

Konohamaru gasped, and then cried out as his blood left his shoulder and began flying through the air.

Kane frowned immediately.

 _This wasn't what he wanted._

The blood was suddenly flung through the air, matting the grass as Konohamaru fell down to the ground, gripping his shoulder in pain.

Kane turned his head towards Hanabi, the young girl shaking in fear.

Konohamaru turned his head, prepared to yell something, but froze when he saw the state of his female teammate.

She was _terrified._

 _"Hanabi..."_ Konohamaru whispered, having never seen her act like that.

 _Never!_

Kane took a step towards the shaking Genin, the girl staring up at him, frozen in place.

Konohamaru roared as he charged Kane, but Kane didn't move a single muscle, and Konohamaru cried out as he suddenly fell to the ground.

 _'My... My body! I-i-it's s-s-so hot!'_ Konohamaru thought as he laid there, panting.

The young Sarutobi glanced at Udon, but the boy was just sitting there, shaking in fear.

Kane approached Hanabi, and the girl just stared up at him, continuing to shake.

He slowly, gently, gave the girl a light cut along her shoulder, willing the blood into the air patiently.

Hanabi didn't so much as blink, merely staring at him while her body continued shaking.

Kane's eyes went wide as the feeling of the girls blood flowed through him.

It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Where normal blood felt like muddy dirt, this girl's blood felt like _clean_ water! It was so smooth, so refined, so _perfect!_

 _It was amazing!_

 _The most amazing blood he'd ever felt, bar none!_

 _This was it._

 _This was the blood he'd been searching for._

 _The blood that was even more pure than Pain's!_

Kane's eyes were wild as they suddenly snapped away from the girls blood and towards Hanabi. Hanabi gasped in fright as she suddenly fell backwards, landing on her butt as she stared up at him in pure, unadulterated _fear._

He didn't care.

He just looked at her, his mind racing.

 _'I could take more! I could take it all! This blood, this is it! The blood that will bring me perfection! The blood that-'_

 _Wait._

Something felt... Off.

Kane's attention snapped back towards the blood, and his eyes narrowed dangerously as he scrutinized it closely.

There was something... Else, with this blood.

It was smooth, like water, but Kane could feel it. It was as if there were small little pebbles bouncing around inside the blood, disrupting what would otherwise be a perfectly calm liquid.

It was the same feeling all blood gave him, just lessened. Taint.

 _'It's not perfect. It's not perfect!'_ Kane suddenly realized as he glared at the blood in pure fury.

He threw the blood onto the ground. If it wasn't the purest of blood, what use did he have for it? Even if it was the purest he'd ever felt, it wasn't _the_ purest.

It was close.

 _Kami, it was so damn close!_

 _But it wasn't the blood he sought!_

Kane snarled as he turned around and jumped away, leaving three traumatized kids to deal with their unconscious sensei.

* * *

"I wonder if we will see master Bee again."

Naruko and Sasuke both stared at Sai in complete astonishment and disbelief.

"You really liked ocotopops, huh?"

Sai merely gave his fake smile, tilting his head to the side slightly, "I suppose I did."

Sasuke cracked his shoulder as he glanced at Kakashi, "It's good to be back in Fire Country."

Kakashi nodded, his eyes trained on the little orange book in his hand.

Naruko suddenly beamed, "Hey! I recognize this place! We've been here before for a mission!"

Kakashi glanced up, and then he gave his legendary eye-smile, "Ah. Yes, yes we have. We're in Otaka Town."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "Otaka Town?"

Naruko looked aghast, "Bastard! It's the town we came to on our very first C-Ranked mission! This is where it all began!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes slowly, "Don't remember it. I don't really care for minor details like that."

Kakashi smiled again, "Sasuke, it's where Kane froze up back during out first mission."

His eyes widened in remembrance, and Naruko threw him an arrogant smirk, "Maybe it's you who's the idiot, bastard!"

"No, you've earned your title over the years."

"Shutup, bastard!"

Kakashi continued smiling, "Let's relax here for a few hours. We've had a long trip; I say we deserve a small break."

Naruko's eye twitched, "You think we're blind, Kakashi? We saw the little poster that said the newest Icha Icha is being sold here."

Kakashi started crying, "I have to have it Naru! I must!"

Sasuke gave the man a smouldering look, "Don't you already own it?"

"You can never have too many copies, Sasu-chan."

* * *

She hesitated, a strange feeling overcoming her.

"Everything alright, Doe?"

Hinata turned to face Yugao, _'Cat'_ she reminded herself internally, and nodded slowly.

"I just had a strange feeling, that's all."

Cat stared at her silently for several moments, "Those types of feelings are called instinct. Sometimes it means nothing, but as Anbu we are taught to always trust our instinct. It could be the difference between life or death someday."

Hinata shook her head, "No, it's fine. Let us carry on."

Cat nodded, "Alright."

Hinata sighed as the two made their way out of the village, heading East on their two-man mission.

She had a bad feeling, as if something was going to happen that would change everything.

A _very_ bad feeling.

* * *

Shikamaru Nara stood in front of the memorial stone, Ino and Chouji by his side. The three had come to pay their respects to their sensei.

Shikamaru closed his eyes as he remembered how angry he'd been at the world, when he'd failed to save his sensei. How angry he'd been at himself, at Asuma's murderer Hidan, at _Kane Sanguis..._

Temari helped set him straight, but it was his father that truly made the difference. His father who understood even better than Temari did. His father who told him to let his grief out; to not bottle it in, and who left him alone in that dark room, as he cried his heart out.

His father had been right. Letting out all of those emotions; it helped. It truly made him feel better, once he'd stopped sobbing.

He wasn't alone. That helped, too. Ino and Chouji were there for him, and only they could truly understand the pain he was going through. They had lost him too.

 _Kane Sanguis..._

He'd hated him, for rescuing Asuma's murderer. For preventing him from exacting his revenge. Shikamaru had even promised Naruko that he would be the first in line to volunteer for the mission to kill the guy, once he was put on Kill On Sight.

Now, that had come to pass. Kane was Kill On Sight, and Shikamaru found that he regretted his words.

He'd grown up a bit since then. He'd matured. Shikamaru didn't want that kind of life; a life filled with anger and vengeance.

So, he'd decided that instead of being angry towards Kane, he was going to be _thankful._

Kane helped him learn a valuable lesson.

Shikamaru was no longer angry at Kane, and then to hear that he _didn't_ have the Kyuubi sealed with him...

He could sympathize with the guy. He understood why Kane did what he did, even if he didn't agree with it.

It also helped that Kiba had been the guys biggest supporter for a while now. Just like with Naruko and Sasuke, you did _not_ talk shit about Kane around Kiba. He'd be on you faster than Akamaru if you did.

 _That_ was one thing he didn't get. Kiba's strange loyalty towards Kane. Those two had never been friends, and Kiba always taunted Kane to the others about his victory over him in the Chunin Exams. Now, Kane had apparently beaten Kiba in battle quite handily, and Kiba continued to defend the guy ever since.

It didn't make sense, at least not to Shikamaru, but it wasn't really his business.

"Team 10."

The voice came from behind them, and Shikamaru blinked in surprise as the three turned around, finding an Anbu standing before them.

"I've been ordered to inform you three that all three of your fathers are in the hospital."

Ino gasped as Shikamaru and Chouji both tensed, "What happened?!" the blonde asked with urgency.

"They were attacked. Please report to the hospital at once."

The Anbu shunshined away, and Shikamaru's face darkened as he felt dread coil within his belly.

He had a very bad feeling about all of this.

* * *

Kane leaned back in his chair as he relaxed.

He hadn't done much of that lately. Relaxed, that is. He'd been so rash, so pressed for time ever since he left Lightning Country.

But there he sat, in the middle of a tavern located in a small town that he didn't even know the name of. Other patrons could be heard laughing and cheering as the smaller building was full of life.

Who was he going to go after next? All that was left was the Uchiha. Could an Uchiha have the blood that he sought?

But he'd manipulated Uchiha blood before. Fugaku, Itachi, even Sasuke's...

He'd never felt anything special before.

Then again, he hadn't really been looking for anything either. He hadn't noticed anything unique about Pain's blood until he'd drank it, or Karin's for that matter.

That Hyuuga girl's blood had felt so perfect... So pure that it actually took him several moments to even realize that it was tainted. He should've drank it; it was the purest blood he'd had, possibly ever. He should've tasted it and seen what happened.

But Kane knew he didn't have time for such luxuries. He needed to find the Purest blood, and he needed it as soon as possible. How long until his mind started to slip again?

Maybe it already had.

For some reason, Kane still felt like the blood he was after would be the blood of the Uzumaki. Despite feeling the purity of the Hyuuga, there was just something special about that clan.

There was only one Uzumaki left that he knew the identity of.

Kane scowled.

He was _not_ going to go after Naruko! It didn't matter how likely it was that she was the one he sought.

Even though, deep down, he believed her to be the one.

It made sense. An Uzumaki mixed with the blood of the most powerful ninja in the world?

It was a recipe for _brilliance._

But he couldn't do it. He couldn't bring harm to her, of all people.

Could he?

What connection did he have to her, really? He barely knew her now. All he knew about her was that she and Sasuke wanted him home. That's it. There was nothing else he knew about the girl anymore.

He didn't know how she'd changed. He didn't know how she'd grown. He didn't know how strong she was. He didn't know what she liked, or disliked, or _anything._

No, if he found out that Naruko Namikaze had to blood he sought, he would _take it._

He wouldn't allow himself any other choice.

But, it didn't matter. Kane refused to believe it was her. He would keep searching, until he discovered the persons identity.

"Yeah, I heard she's in Otaka Town right now."

Who were they talking about? He didn't care, but the mention of Otaka Town caught his interest.

That's where everything started. Where it all began. His first C-Ranked mission.

Kane remembered how he froze up, witnessing the bandit spill so much blood. It was to be expected; all Sanguis children froze up when activating their Kekkei Genkai for the first time.

Still, it had felt like such a big deal back then. Kane had felt like he'd been a complete failure. He'd felt like he'd let everybody down, and completely screwed up his first chance to prove himself as being a worthy member of Team 7.

It seemed so silly now. Caring so much about something so minor. Kane couldn't comprehend that he'd been so desperate for approval; that his only goal in life had been to become a valued member of Team 7.

Now, Kane couldn't care less about that.

He was the only thing that he cared about. His survival was the only thing he wanted.

And now, that was being threatened.

He needed to find the Purest blood.

"Yeah, she's with the same team she's always with. They should be going back to Konoha soon, I think."

Kane put his cheek against his closed fist, listening to the conversation with half-interest.

The purest blood could be a Hyuuga, but he wanted to get his hands on Uchiha blood again before he narrowed his options down.

He still believed he needed an Uzumaki.

Kane realized who the two men were speaking about, and he snorted quietly.

 _'Otaka Town, heading back to Konoha soon, huh?'_

As the two men continued talking about the blonde, Kane wondered where he should go next.

 _'Should probably avoid Otaka Town, or anywhere east of here in general. Don't want to run into her.'_

He froze.

Or did he?

The more he thought about her, the more tense he got.

Her blood. Her skills. Her clan.

 _'Wait. Wait wait wait. Wait wait wait wait wait. Wait!'_

His eyes widened as all of the pieces seemed to fall in place.

Kane stood up abruptly, his chair screeching and falling to the floor with a loud bang. Many of the patrons nearby jumped in fright, and several eyes were suddenly pinned to him.

He didn't even notice.

 _'It's her. It's her!'_

Kane knew, then and there, that he'd figured it out.

 _He knew who had the purest blood._

* * *

End of Chapter 92

 _ **A/N:**_

Sorry for the delay, tomorrow's chapter will be out much sooner than this one was.


	96. Chapter 93

He crossed his arms, closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall.

Shikamaru took a deep breath, attempting to calm his frayed nerves, and then opened his eyes.

"So, you managed to get your ass handed to you by someone my age, huh?"

"Should you really be talking to your father like that?" Shikaku asked with a deep sigh, and Shikamaru let out a small smirk.

"Hey, I'm just saying."

"What a drag." Shikaku drawled as he rolled his eyes.

"You're lucky he didn't kill you." Shikamaru stated seriously, and Shikaku eyed his son peculiarly.

"Do you think he would?"

Shikamaru blinked, caught off guard by the question.

Would Kane have done it? Would he have killed Shikaku, knowing he was Shikamaru's father? Knowing he was a Jounin of the Hidden Leaf Village, and a clan head to boot?

"I don't know," Shikamaru spoke slowly, "I don't really know much about the guy."

Shikaku let out a thoughtful hum, "Well, whatever you think you know about the kid, throw it out the window."

Shikamaru looked confused, "What? Why?"

"The kid has lost his mind."

Shikamaru hesitated. His father never said anything unless he truly meant it.

"What do you mean?"

"He's almost completely lost his grip on reality." Shikaku stated seriously, "I saw it in his eyes. He had the look of a madman, willing to do anything or harm anyone to get what they wanted."

Shikamaru frowned at that, "And what _did_ he want?"

"Our blood."

Shikamaru's eyes widened, "Your blood?"

"My blood, Inoichi's blood, Chouza's blood... Yes, _our_ blood." Shikaku said with a nod.

"What could he possibly want your blood for?" Shikamaru asked with a dumbfounded look.

Shikaku sighed, "Don't ask me. I'm not the one who's a madman."

Shikamaru let out a deep sigh, "What a drag."

The two genius' fell into a comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

"I'm glad you're okay." Shikamaru whispered as he stared at the floor, and Shikaku let out a confused 'hmm' as he turned his head to stare at his son.

"I may have forgiven Kane for letting Asuma-sensei's murderer escape, but if he'd killed you... I never would've forgiven him."

Shikaku stared at him for several moments.

"But he didn't."

Shikamaru's eyes widened as his head snapped up to face his father.

"I'm fine. Holding grudges over things that hold no lasting effect is too troublesome. Wouldn't you agree, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru stared at him before nodding slowly, "Yeah, it's too troublesome."

Shikaku nodded right back, "So, what will you do then?"

Shikamaru frowned in response, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what will you do about it? You gonna just sit around and see what happens, or are you going to take action for once in your life?"

The two Nara stared at each other, their eyes locked.

Shikamaru let out a deep sigh, "What a drag."

Then, he walked out of the room.

* * *

"He attacked not one, not two, but _three_ clan heads."

Minato said nothing, staring out of the window in his office, his hands interlocked behind his back.

"Perhaps, Minato, it is time we put an end to this." Danzo Shimura spoke calmly, coolly.

"And what would you have me do, exactly, Danzo?"

"What we should have done the day the boy left the village."

Danzo's voice was cold. Ruthless. It didn't take a genius to understand what the elderly man was implying.

"Weren't you in favor of keeping Kane-kun off the Kill On Sight list?" Minato asked, still staring out across the village.

"I was. But, the boy is lost, Minato. He has begun attacking Konoha. It's time to cut our losses, and take him down once and for all."

Minato closed his eyes.

"Sensei, I know you're there."

Jiraiya opened the window before hopping inside. If Danzo was surprised to see the Sannin, he didn't show it. Danzo stood up suddenly, giving a curt nod to Jiraiya as he turned and walked towards the exit.

"You have my opinion. Do with it what you will." Danzo declared before closing the door behind him.

Jiraiya whistled, "After all this time, he's still causing a mess."

Minato said nothing.

"Listen, kid, I know what you're thinking."

Minato let a small frown appear on his visage, "Do you, sensei?"

Jiraiya stepped up beside him, staring out at the village as well.

"You're thinking if it's finally time for the brat to be put down once and for all. You're blaming yourself, and wondering what our little spitfire will think if you decide to go through with it."

Minato closed his eyes in frustration.

"It's my fault, Jiraiya-sensei. If I'd just... Done better, then perhaps none of this would have ever happened. Perhaps Kane-kun would have never left."

"You can't dwell on the past, kid."

"I know. It doesn't make things any easier, though."

"So will you do it? Will you send out a squad to take the kid down? He's causing a mess in our own borders, and it doesn't look like he plans on stopping anytime soon."

Minato shook his head, "I don't know. What would you do, in my position, Jiraiya-sensei?"

Jiraiya chewed on his lip for a moment.

"Honestly? I'd just chase him out of Fire Country again."

Minato looked genuinely surprised by the words, "Why would you do that?"

Jiraiya shrugged, "Naruko makes this complicated. You don't want to put the kid down, because it would upset your daughter."

Minato frowned, "It would more than just upset her."

"And you don't want to just ignore him, because he's causing a ruckus in Fire Country."

"He could go too far someday, sensei. Some would say he already has."

"So, you don't want to kill him, but you don't want to ignore him, and capturing him has already proven a task in and of itself... So, I'd just chase him away. Let someone else deal with him."

"And how would you suggest I do that, sensei? He hasn't exactly proven himself easy to handle. I can't just send anybody I want to take care of him."

Jiraiya looked thoughtful for a moment.

"You could send Team 7."

Minato looked annoyed, "They aren't even back yet."

"But you could send them." Jiraiya insisted. "They might be the best team possible to deal with him."

"Or the worst."

"A beautiful risk if I've ever heard of one!" Jiraiya laughed heartily, and soon Minato found himself joining in.

He shook his head, a smile on his face.

"Perhaps you're right."

Jiraiya grinned broadly, "Of course I am!"

Minato gave the man a fond smile before nodding.

"Alright, sensei. As soon as they return to Konoha, I will inform Team 7... Their mission is to go deal with Kane-kun, in whatever way they see fit."

"Which will be retrieval, obviously."

Minato, for once, didn't look so sure about that.

"In whatever way they see fit."

* * *

 _"Shikamaruuu!"_

Ino's whiny voice trailed behind the Nara heir, the boy casually strolling through the village with his teammates by his sides.

"What do you want, woman?" Shikamaru sighed.

"You haven't even told us why we're walking around the village! I have things to do, you know. You don't get this pretty without putting in work!" Ino said snootily as she flipped her hair, and Chouji laughed as Shikamaru rolled his eyes expectedly.

"Troublesome woman."

"Ino's right though, Shikamaru. Why _are_ we out here? You said you wanted us to come with you, but all we're doing is walking around. Don't you think we should've stayed at the hospital, with our parents?" Chouji asked with confusion in his voice.

Shikamaru shook his head, "I'm trying to figure something out."

Ino threw an annoyed look his way, "Well? Out with it already!"

"Why did Kane attack our fathers?" Both of his teammates tensed up at that, so Shikamaru decided to elaborate a bit further. "He wanted their blood, all of their blood, but once he got it he just... Threw it on the ground, and then he left."

"My dad said he looked like he'd gone crazy." Chouji pointed out, and Shikamaru nodded.

"Mine said the same. Still, I think he's doing this for a reason."

Ino scoffed, "What reason could he possibly have?"

"Yeah, what do you mean, Shikamaru?" Chouji asked.

Shikamaru shook his head, "I don't know, but think about it. It's not the first time he's done something like this recently. They said he did the same thing in Water Country, according to the Mizukage, remember?"

Chouji nodded slowly, "But he went to Lightning Country and we never even heard from him. He just kinda, went there and then left... Now he's here."

Shikamaru shook his head again, "I don't think that's what happened at all. I think, what he's doing here, he did in Lightning Country too."

Ino huffed, "Why does any of this even matter, Shikamaru?"

"Ino! Chouji!" Shikamaru barked, an uncharacteristic display of both passion and authority that caused both of them to jump in surprise.

"W-what is it?!" Chouji suddenly yelled as Ino looked at him, wide-eyed.

"For what feels like forever, we've sat around doing nothing. We sat and watched, as Naruko and Sasuke fought tooth and nail to get stronger, just to bring Kane back. We sat and watched, as Kane ran off with Asuma-sensei's murderer. We sat and watched, as Kiba began defending Kane with all his might, encouraging his team to do the same."

Shikamaru whirled around to face his teammates, both of which were staring at him, gobsmacked.

"I don't want to sit around anymore! I know I'm not the most energetic guy around, but I don't want to just be someone sitting on the sidelines anymore. I don't want to watch everyone else fight to bring Kane home, while I do nothing. I don't want to witness all of these insane acts Kane is doing, and watch him finally do something that'll push it over the edge."

"What are you saying, Shikamaru?" Ino asked, seemingly awestruck. Chouji was no better.

"From this point forward, we're going to put our best foot forward! We're going to help the others, and we're going to figure out what the hell Kane is doing! We're going to _bring him home_!" Shikamaru declared, throwing a fist out in a very Naruko-like fashion.

Chouji took a step forward, clenching his fist and throwing it out, bumping it gently against Shikamaru's own.

"Yeah! No more sitting around! Let's do it, Shikamaru!" Chouji screamed, his eyes literal _fire_ as he roared.

Ino looked at the two with wide eyes, shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

"What the hell is happening?"

But then, she threw her fist out as well, the three locked together in a display of comradery.

Shikamaru let out a confident smirk.

"Let's go!"

* * *

The blonde haired girl let out a moan as she stared up into the sky.

"Can we go now, Kakashi?!" She whined, and the white haired man giggled behind his newly purchased Icha Icha novel.

"Not yet... It's just getting good." Kakashi responded as he flipped the page, his blush deepening slightly.

"I'm with the idiot on this one. Besides, you've already read the damn thing. We need to get back to Konoha." Sasuke said with annoyance.

Sai merely smiled.

"Fine, fine." Kakashi said with a wave of his hand as he put the book away.

"Finally!" Naruko said with a glare, and the four Shinobi turned and began marching out of Otaka Town.

They traveled along the road for a while in silence, open fields on both sides of the road and dense forest straight ahead as Otaka Town disappeared from view.

"I wonder if dad will be mad." Naruko spoke her thoughts out loud, and Sasuke shrugged.

"Even if he is, he can't be _too_ mad. We're heroes in Lightning Country now; that's got to be great for Konoha politically. He'll get over it."

Naruko hummed thoughtfully, then sighed sadly, "We never did find Kane. I wonder if they've gotten word of him?! We could head right back out and try to find him again! This time we'll get him for sure, I can feel it!" Naruko spoke with confidence.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he spoke harshly, "I'm not going after Kane again."

Everybody stopped, except Sasuke, who paused when he noticed he'd walked ahead of everyone else. He turned back to find Kakashi staring at him passively, Sai looking slightly surprised, and Naruko looking absolutely floored, confusion and outrage fighting for dominance over her features.

"What the _hell_ do you mean, bastard?!"

Sasuke sighed, "It's not like that. That just came out wrong."

"Well you better damn well explain, bastard, before I-"

"Someone's coming." Kakashi said as his eye narrowed, and the four tensed as they turned to stare into the forest in front of them, waiting.

Naruko's eyes widened as she recognized the figure approaching.

* * *

Karin sighed to herself as she wandered the streets of Konoha.

She hadn't left yet. Really, she had no real reason to stay here, but that awful, dreadful feeling she'd had right before leaving the village...

Well, it kept her here, and now she understood what that feeling was.

Kane was in Fire Country, and had attacked three clan heads.

 _'Kami damnit Kane!'_ She thought furiously. How far was he willing to sink?! How much longer would this madness continue?!

It was probably far too late for him, she knew. The thought saddened her immensely.

A hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, and the redhead gasped in surprise as she was spun around suddenly.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" She snapped, and the boy in front of her merely raised an eyebrow at her ire.

"You're Karin Uzumaki, right?" The boy asked calmly.

"What's it to you?" She snapped.

He nodded his head, "My name is Shikamaru Nara." He gestured to his left, "This is Chouji Akimichi," Chouji gave a huge grin and a hearty hello, and Shikamaru gestured to his right, "and this is Ino Yamanaka." Ino gave a little wave and a small smile.

Karin raised an eyebrow as she eyed them warily, "Hi, I guess."

"We're in the Rookie Nine, along with Naruko." Ino clarified, and Karin relaxed.

"Oh yeah, I recognize you guys now that you mention it."

"Can you tell us about Kane Sanguis?" Shikamaru got straight to the point, and Karin's eyes narrowed.

"What's there to tell?"

"What's he searching for?" Shikamaru asked heatedly, and Karin's eyes went wide with surprise.

"What?! How the hell should I know?"

"So he _is_ searching for something." Shikamaru mumbled, and Karin scowled.

"No! I didn't say that!" Karin denied as she glared.

"Look, don't play dumb. I know you know what he's doing, and I need you to tell me."

Karin sniffed at him, "I told you, dumbass, I don't know what you're talking about."

"He's going to hurt more people." Shikamaru said, almost cruelly, as if he knew the words would hurt. Karin flinched in response, before glaring at him.

"What the hell are you on? Get away from me!" She snapped, and Ino placed a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder.

"Shikamaru! You're only making things worse!" Ino yelled, and the Nara scowled before sighing. He looked at Karin blankly, the redhead clearly pissed off, and sighed once again.

"Troublesome... Look, It's obvious you care about the guy. That's cool and all, we aren't trying to hurt him. We want to bring him home, back to Konoha, just like Naruko."

Karin relaxed slightly, her glare lessening into a frustrated look, "Alright... I still don't know what Kane's searching for."

"But you have some idea." Shikamaru didn't ask, but rather stated.

"Not really." Karin shrugged.

"He's looking for blood." Shikamaru drawled, and Karin blinked in surprise.

"Oh. Yeah, he is."

"Whose?" Shikamaru prodded carefully, and Karin scowled.

"How should I know?! Kane doesn't even know!"

Shikamaru's eyes widened as he traded looks with Ino and Chouji, "So that's why he's attacking different people. He doesn't know what he's looking for."

Karin huffed, "He's looking for the blood of some sort of clansman. That's all I know, okay?"

Shikamaru didn't back off though, "What does he want the blood for?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"You're sure it's someone that's from a clan?"

"I guess so. I don't know, okay?"

"Who's blood has he checked already?"

"Kami, _I don't know!_ I already told you everything, alright?!" Karin snapped, growing frustrated at the interrogation.

Shikamaru frowned as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"He's looking for the blood of someone from a clan, and he doesn't know who... Do you think he's checking every person from every clan, or that he's checking each individual clan, regardless of the person?"

Karin raised an eyebrow, "Probably just each clan."

Shikamaru nodded, and Chouji and Ino let out simultaneous sighs.

"What does this matter? It's not like we'd figure out who he was searching for. Kane doesn't even know what he's searching for; Karin said it herself!" Ino said, annoyed.

Chouji nodded in agreement, "Yeah, and we don't even know what clans he's checked, other than ours."

Karin sniffed lightly, "He's already checked the Uzumaki."

Shikamaru sighed as he kicked at the dirt, "This isn't enough to go off of." Karin looked troubled, and Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at the girl.

She looked at him in annoyance, "What?"

"You're hiding something." Shikamaru accused, and Karin bit her lip.

Ino put a hand on her shoulder, "Look, Karin... We want to help Kane. I promise. We want to bring him home before he does something he regrets. We need you to be honest with us, okay? We're on your side."

Karin closed her eyes in frustration.

"He's looking for the blood of somebody who's 'pure'."

Chouji looked confused, "Pure?"

"I don't know. No, seriously, don't ask me. Kane threw that word around once or twice, and his entire clan kept talking about blood purity."

Shikamaru's eyes widened, "So he's looking for pure blood, and he thinks that the clans have pure blood!"

"I guess." Karin mumbled, and Ino gave the girl a look.

"You don't look happy about that."

"Well, I don't exactly agree with any of the shit Kane's clan believes in, so it doesn't exactly make me happy to hear he's following their ways." Karin said with a glare at the blonde, and Ino put her hands up in a gesture of surrender.

Chouji looked at Shikamaru in concern, the boy rubbing his temples as if soothing a headache, "Shikamaru?"

"None of this tells me what I want to know." Shikamaru mumbled.

Karin shrugged, "Sorry, but I could barely keep up with Kane's decisions when I was traveling with him. You're going to have a hard time figuring him out."

Shikamaru nodded as he sighed, "What a drag."

Ino looked at Karin curiously, "Hey, weren't you supposed to be leaving? I heard you were supposed to go back to Tanigakure."

Karin shrugged, "I can go back later. I want to tell Naru-chan about Kane being in Fire Country first."

"Naruko is coming home finally?" Chouji asked as he began muching on potato chips, and Karin nodded.

"Yeah, she's near Otaka Town last I heard."

Shikamaru huffed.

 _'Otaka Town, huh...? Isn't that where-'_

Shikamaru froze, his thoughts running a mile a minute.

He didn't hear the other three continue their conversation about Naruko, or Sasuke, or Kakashi, or even Sai. He didn't hear them discuss Tani, and the differences between there and Konoha. He didn't hear _anything_ they were saying, his mind too caught up in running different scenarios through his head.

"Shikamaru?" Ino's voice cut through his mind, and he blinked rapidly as he came back to reality.

 _"We need to go!"_ Shikamaru stated with urgency, and the others looked at him in confusion. Chouji and Ino suddenly grew tense, becoming highly alert as they saw the alarm in Shikamaru's eyes.

"Shikamaru, what's wrong?!" Chouji asked fearfully.

" _Otaka Town!_ He's going to Otaka Town!" Shikamaru rushed out, and the others looked at him in surprise.

"Who is?!" Ino asked.

"Kane! I figured out who he'll go after next! We need to get to Otaka Town, _now!"_

Shikamaru turned and took off, and Ino and Chouji both gasped in surprise as they took off after him. Ino turned and waved at Karin as the three ran out of sight.

Karin blinked stupidly.

 _'What just happened?!'_

* * *

 _"Hinata!"_ Naruko squealed as she sprinted at the Doe masked Anbu, tackling her to the ground.

Hinata let out a quiet laugh as she removed her mask, "It's good to see you too, Naruko-chan!" She said with a gentle smile towards the blonde.

Naruko stood up, helping Hinata up immediately after, before giving the Hyuuga girl another hug.

"It's so great to see you! What are you doing here?!"

Yugao, wearing her Cat mask, landed behind Hinata, "Doe, you're not allowed to remove your mask."

Hinata blushed slightly before placing it back over her head. "Sorry!"

"Hinata, what are you doing here?" Naruko asked slowly, drawing the words out.

"We're here by order of Hokage-sama to escort the four of you back to Konoha." Cat said formally, and Naruko laughed as she looped one arm through Hinata's.

"Awesome! Let's go, then!"

The six began walking back towards Konoha before quickly taking to the trees, eager to make their way home.

* * *

"It's going to rain soon."

The quiet, dry voice came from Shino Aburame. Sakura paused her work of examining a medicinal plant while kneeling down on one knee. With the wind howling, she stared up at the dark clouds that were slowly moving in front of the sun, bringing shade and darkness across the landscape.

"Oh. It is." She said lamely, and Kiba let out a slight yawn.

"Can you guys hurry it up already? I'm ready to go home."

"Quiet, brat!" The voice of the Slug Princess made Kiba jump and quickly apologize profusely to the woman.

"It's fine. We're almost done anyway." Sakura said neutrally as she stood up and stretched.

As soon as Tsunade turned her attention elsewhere, Kiba scowled.

"I don't get why Shino and I have to be here. This is getting so old! Just become her apprentice already, Sakura!"

"But then we'd have to break up Team 8." Shino pointed out, and Kiba pouted in response.

"Yeah, but-"

He froze, tilting his head back and sniffing the air.

"You smell something?" Shino asked seriously, and Kiba nodded as Akamaru barked from beside him.

"Yeah. Akamaru does too. Someone's coming."

The four Shinobi and one Shinobi Hound turned and stared as three figures came barrelling towards them.

"Sakura! Kiba! Shino!" Ino yelled at them as Team 10 came to a stop in front of them.

"Hey! What are you guys doing here, Ino-pig?" Sakura asked with no real bite in her voice, only confusion.

"We were looking for you guys!" Ino said with relief, and Sakura grew even more confused.

"What? Why?"

Shikamaru's eyes darted left and right, and then he sighed with relief. "We're not too late, then."

Akamaru barked, and Kiba looked down at his best friend, "What is it, Akamaru?"

 _"Hey!"_ Tsunade yelled as she stomped over to the now large group of Shinobi, "What the hell is going on here?!"

"Wait! Someone else is coming!" Kiba suddenly called out, bringing all attention to him.

Kiba pointed up to the top of a nearby hill, Akamaru growling lowly.

After several moments, a figure appeared.

Wild, insane blue eyes darted from person to person, before stopping on the blonde haired Sannin.

 _"Kane?!"_ Several people called out in shock, and Shikamaru tensed as he grit his teeth.

 _He hadn't been fast enough!_

Kane gave a vicious smirk.

 _"Give me your blood, Tsunade Senju!"_

* * *

End of Chapter 93


	97. Chapter 94

"Bye, Hinata!" Naruko yelled with multiple large waves. Hinata gave a small wave back, and she and Yugao disappeared.

"We are home." Sai said simply, a small smile on his face. Naruko laughed in response.

"Yeah! It's great to be back!"

Sai blinked slowly, his smile falling away as thoughts of a certain elder entered his mind unbidden.

"I believe there are things I must attend to. I will see you later." Sai said, speaking to nobody in particular. Naruko blinked in surprise at his sudden change in tone.

"Ehh? Uh, alright th-"

Sai disappeared, and Naruko's eye twitched in annoyance.

"Bastard..."

Kakashi made a noise of discomfort, "I'm going to go report to Hokage-sama. You two do as you wish."

Naruko gave the man a large smile in return, "I'll go with you! I want to see him anyway, and-"

"Naruko." Sasuke spoke lowly, coldly, and the girl turned to him in surprise.

"What is it, bastard?" She asked cautiously.

"The reason I said I would not be chasing after Kane right away, is because I wish to see someone first." Sasuke said slowly, each word articulate and meaningful.

Naruko looked confused, and then she tensed up as her eyes widened.

"Itachi!" She whispered.

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah. His treatment should have been finished before we even made it to Lightning Country."

Naruko nodded slowly before turning to Kakashi, "Go on without me. This is more important right now."

Kakashi nodded in understanding, "I will tell your father that you will come to see him as soon as you can." Then, Kakashi jumped away, leaving the two alone.

Naruko turned to face Sasuke again, "Let's go!"

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah."

* * *

Kane landed in front of the 7 Shinobi and one Ninja Hound, grinning madly at Tsunade.

"Kane! What are you doing here?!" Kiba yelled, completely shocked to find the missing member of the Rookie Nine in front of them.

And shivering slightly at the look in his eyes.

"He's after Tsunade!" Shikamaru snapped, gritting his teeth and glaring at Kane as the others glanced at him in surprise. Everyone, that is, except for Kane and Tsunade.

The two stared at each other, one glaring slightly as she tried to decipher the thoughts running through his head, and the other smirking viciously, excitement and madness in his eyes.

"I found you! I finally _found you!"_ Kane said before laughing joyously.

"What do you want with Tsunade-sama, you traitor?!" Sakura snapped, stepping up to stand beside her master.

 _"Her blood! I want her blood!"_ Kane demanded as he sneered at the pinkette.

"Her blood?! You-"

"Don't let him cut you! Remember, if he cuts you, you're done for!" Shikamaru barked as Team 10 surrounded Tsunade, taking defensive positions.

"We will protect Tsunade-sama, by whatever means necessary." Shino stated calmly as he stepped up as well, prepared to fight Kane.

"Woah woah woah! Everyone just _stop!"_ Kiba yelled, attempting to calm everyone down as he, riskfully, placed himself between Kane and everybody else.

"Kiba! What are you doing?!" Sakura gasped.

"Everyone just _calm the hell down!"_ Kiba barked, and Akamaru jumped to land beside his master as he barked in agreement.

"Kiba, we must protect Tsunade-sama. It is our mission, and beyond that it is our duty." Shino stated calmly, and Kiba growled.

"Shutup Shino! All of you just shutup! We don't need to fight here, let's just talk about this for-"

 _"You're in my way!"_

Kiba turned, and gasped in shock as he was summarily flung away and into Akamaru by a kick to the stomach from Kane.

Shino was the first to respond, launching a swarm of bugs towards Kane, and Kane quickly performed several handsigns.

 _"Water Style: Water Bullets!"_ He shouted as he launched six water bullets towards the large group, the first one flying straight through the center of the swarm and killing the bugs on impact, the rest of the swarm scattering.

Shikamaru's eyes widened as he took note of the water flying towards them.

 _'That's not just water, that's boiling water!'_

 _"Everyone move!"_ Shikamaru screamed, and the group scattered.

Each bullet of water took off, changing trajectory and chasing down a different person.

As Tsunade continued avoiding the water bullet, she bit her lip and narrowed her eyes as a figure was approaching her quickly. She threw up an arm and blocked a kick from Kane as he appeared before her, a vicious smile on his face.

She jumped back as Kane came to a stop, the water bullet stopping by his side, and Tsunade glared at him.

"Tsunade Senju, the _last of the Senju Clan!"_ Kane spoke with a shiver of delight, and Tsunade scowled at him.

"What the hell happened to you, brat? Last time I saw you, you were much more collected than this. Losing a bit of yourself, huh?"

Kane laughed. It was a full, hearty laugh.

"No! It's the opposite! I'm gaining a part of myself! A part I never even knew I was missing! You're the one, Tsunade Senju!"

"What the hell are you-"

 _"Give me your blood!"_

Kane charged, and Tsunade tensed, only for Kane to scowl and jump away midway towards Tsunade as another swarm of bugs descended on his previous location. Shino jumped inbetween the two of them, and Kane grew livid.

 _"Get out of my way, filth!"_

Kane sprinted towards Shino, and the man launched his swarm towards Kane.

His eyes widened as a bullet of water landed on the still-charging Kane, coating his body in water. Shino's swarm jumped out of the boy's way, knowing if they touched the water they would die.

Then, Kane slammed his fist into Shino's gut, causing him to collapse to his knees with a gasp.

Kane kicked him away before charging Tsunade again, only to dodge as a Chakra-infused punch flew right passed his head, courtesy of Sakura.

 _"Shannaro!"_ Sakura screamed as she pulled her fist back and swung again, only for Kane to casually sidestep. Sakura gasped as he grabbed her by the throat, swept her feet, and slammed her onto the ground.

 _"Sit!"_ Kane barked before letting her go and sprinting after Tsunade again.

Tsunade grew furious at the treatment of her apprentice, and decided she'd had _enough._

She met Kane halfway, throwing a punch at him, but Kane dodged her punch in the same manner he dodged Sakura's. Unlike Sakura however, Tsunade was experienced, and was able to grab Kane's wrist when he went for her throat.

Kane's eyes widened as she squeezed his wrist _hard._

Tsunade twisted his arm, and _broke it._

But Kane didn't cry out. He only smirked.

Then, he burst into water.

 _'A water clone! When did he-'_

Her eyes widened when, instead of falling towards the earth, the water from the clone proceeded to _jump_ on her, heating up to a boil immediately after.

Tsunade fell to her knees as she bit her lip, refusing to cry out, and closed her eyes from the pain.

Kane appeared behind her, smirking.

"Now let's just make you bleed a lit-"

His eyes widened as he suddenly found himself unable to move, and he willed the boiling water surrounding Tsunade to cool before jumping off of her, flying towards him protectively.

Kane scowled as he observed his elongated shadow, extending and reaching out all the way towards Shikamaru's own shadow.

Shikamaru glared at him, "We won't let you do this, Kane!"

Kane sneered, "You think I have to move to defeat you?"

One of the still-flying water bullets began closing in on Shikamaru, and the Nara heir grimaced as he saw it coming.

But he didn't let go.

 _"Now, Chouji!"_

 _"Expansion Jutsu!"_ Chouji roared as he charged Kane, his fist growing humongous as he prepared to slam it into Kane.

Kane's eyes widened.

 _'He's going to let himself get hit by the water bullet just so that I take this punch!'_

But Kane didn't panic. Instead, he merely smirked, the water flowing around him quickly diving under his feet and creating a solid surface under him.

Chouji gasped as when he closed in on Kane, the water shot into the air, taking Kane with him. His punch completely missed, as now Kane was standing atop flowing water, staring down at Shikamaru from the sky.

"Enjoy the water!" Kane called out mockingly, and Shikamaru cancelled the jutsu as he attempted to jump away.

But it was too late.

The Nara heir cried out as the water bullet slammed into him, knocking him down and burning his skin.

Kane scanned the area, looking for Tsunade, only to tense as he felt a presence behind him. He whirled around, whipping out a kunai, and his weapon clashed with another as Kiba landed on the water, glaring at him.

"Kane! Stop! You don't have to do this!"

Kane sneered, "You're only in my way, Inuzuka!"

"Kane, please! Don't do this!" Kiba pleaded, his face taking on a look of desperation.

"You don't even know what I'm doing! You wouldn't understand!" Kane roared before the water below Kiba's feet reached out and wrapped around him, dragging him under and dropping him from the sky.

Kane whirled around as a strange whizzing noise could be heard, and his eyes widened as a _giant boulder_ was flying right at him. The water beneath him flew away, causing the boulder to barely fly passed him harmlessly, only for his eyes to widen further at what was stuck on the backside of the rock.

Chouji was attached to the back of it, hidden from view, and his hands were both large. Inside each hand, he was holding a person.

Sakura and Shikamaru.

 _"Now, Chouji!"_ Shikamaru screamed, his skin red from being burned earlier and one kunai in each hand.

Kane knew he should've finished him off!

"Right! Take this, Kane!" Chouji roared as he _threw_ his two allies at him.

 _"Shannaro!"_ Sakura screamed as she attempted to punch Kane, and Shikamaru threw one of the kunai as well.

Kane swatted the kunai away and easily dodged Sakura's punch, growling as he threw his arms out, slamming both of them in the stomach and knocking them away from him.

His eyes snapped down as he realized the second kunai Shikamaru was holding had been dropped, landing on the water he was standing on.

With a loud _**'Poof!'**_ of smoke, Ino appeared, her hands already thrown up in preparation for her jutsu.

 _"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"_ Ino screamed before falling limp, and Kane froze as he went rigid.

 _"Yeah!_ Great plan, Shikamaru!" Sakura yelled as the two landed on the ground, Chouji following soon after.

Shikamaru let out a sigh of relief, "Good, now we can knock him out and carry him and Ino back to Konoha."

Shino and Kiba landed beside them, both looking relieved.

"I am, unfortunately, not much help against an opponent like Kane-kun. I am pleased to see you were able to handle him without me." Shino said with a nod, and Kiba huffed.

"Let's get out of here, man."

Tsunade walked up then, staring up at the still floating water with trepidation.

"It's not over yet."

Shikamaru scowled as Tsunade confirmed his fears, and he glared up as well, "Yeah, I had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy."

Sakura looked confused, "What? What do you-"

Ino suddenly groaned as she returned to her own body.

 _"Too hot! Too hot!"_ She yelled, gripping her head in pain, and Kane scowled as he regained control, kicking Ino in the stomach and sending her overboard immediately after.

Chouji caught Ino, and the blonde groaned.

"His body is too hot! How does he fight like that all the time?! He's too hot!"

Kane sneered down at them.

"No more games! Give me your blood, Senju!"

Shikamaru closed his eyes, cupping his hands in his signature thinking pose.

* * *

 _"Naru-chan!"_

Naruko and Sasuke turned around in surprise, a redheaded girl sprinting towards them.

"Karin?! What are you still doing here?! I thought you went back to Tani!" Naruko said in surprise as Karin landed in front of the two of them, panting.

"Naru-chan... He's... He's in Fire Country!" Karin gasped out between pants.

Naruko and Sasuke both tensed, knowing exactly who the girl was talking about.

"He's here?!" Naruko asked urgently, and Karin nodded quickly.

"Yeah! He's been attacking clan heads!"

The blonde gasped slightly as Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Who?" Sasuke asked, the question nearly sounding like a threat.

"Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clan heads... So far!" Karin responded.

 _"So far?!"_ Naruko growled, and Karin nodded.

"He's going to keep going! He's not going to stop! Naru-chan, you have to stop him! You have to go get him!"

"Where is he?" Sasuke ordered.

"That guy, Shikamaru, said he figured out where Kane would strike next! He said he was going to Otaka Town, and he and... I think their names were Ino and Chouji, all took off!"

Naruko and Sasuke traded looks.

"Sasuke, Itachi-"

"Let's go." Sasuke demanded, and Naruko nodded in affirmation.

"Right!"

Without saying a word to Karin, the two took off.

Karin stared after them, biting her lip and wondering if she should follow them.

 _'No... I've had my chances. This time, it's up to them.'_

She continued staring after them, dread settling in her chest. Karin decided, then and there, that this was Kane's last hope. This was all or nothing.

 _'This time, it's going to be Kane's last chance...'_

* * *

Shikamaru's eyes snapped open as he stood up.

"I've got an idea."

Everyone looked at him curiously, but he grimaced slightly as he stared up at Kane, "It's a long-shot, but it might just work."

As he began whispering to his companions, Kane grew angry again.

Kane jumped down, and the water he was standing on shot off into hundreds of tiny water senbon, weaving around his falling body and flying towards the group.

The group jumped away, only for the senbons to change trajectory. Thanks to their aerial superiority, the group found they couldn't dodge very well, and soon many were crying out as they attempted to shield themselves from the barrage of boiling hot senbon needles.

Kane smirked as he felt the water senbon draw blood on several people, and Sakura, Shino, and Shikamaru all gasped as they collapsed to the ground, their blood heating up.

 _"Shit...! No! I need to still be able to fight!"_ Shikamaru grit out, and Kane sneered as he overheard him.

"Whatever you're planning, scrap it. I'm going to get what I came here for!"

He charged, but not at Tsunade, but rather at Chouji.

The kind-hearted boy let out a cry of fear as he grew his fist and swung, Kane casually jumping over it and drawing a kunai along his arm.

Chouji cried out as he, too, collapsed.

 _"Brat!"_

Kane turned and his eyes widened as Tsunade was upon him, and before he could even react, the Sannin slammed her fist into his stomach. Kane spat out blood as he was sent flying through the air, rolling along the ground before coming to a stop.

He groaned as he attempted to stand up, only for Tsunade to appear above him, one leg up in the air.

Kane jumped away as Tsunade brought her leg down in a downwards kick, creating a huge crater in the earth.

As he landed, Kane found himself trembling slightly, and he reached down to gently place a hand against his stomach.

 _'Shit! She did a number on me!'_

Tsunade slowly approached, but then froze as her eyes widened.

Kane's eyes widened, too.

Slowly, the wounds along his body began healing themselves, and soon after it felt as if the woman never landed a punch to begin with.

 _'W-What?! What the hell was that?!'_

Kane didn't know.

And suddenly, he didn't care.

He grinned maliciously at Tsunade as he stood up fully again, the Sannin scowling as she took a fighting stance.

"Don't you see, Senju?!" Kane called out suddenly, and Tsunade looked at him in surprise.

"See what, brat?" She barked out.

"See that you're special!" Kane responded, and then her eyes widened as he charged.

Not at her, but at Ino, who was looking over everyone and attempting to treat their wounds.

Tsunade attempted to intercept him, but Kane was faster than her, and Ino cried out as Kane plunged a kunai into her back, making her collapse soon after.

Tsunade froze halfway as Kane turned and smirked at her.

"None of these-"

A roar came from behind, and Kane turned and threw up a block as Akamaru bit into his arm, flailing wildly as if attempting to rip it off.

Kane threw up his other arm, a kunai plunging straight through his palm as Kiba brought it forward. Kane used the impaled hand to grip Kiba's fist tightly, halting him.

 _"It didn't have to be this way, Kane!"_ Kiba spoke harshly, and Kane sneered right back.

 _"You're wrong!"_

Kane leaned down, and _bit_ Akamaru behind the ear hard enough to draw blood, the dog letting out a yelp before whining as he fell to the ground, his blood heating up just like the others.

 _"Akamaru!"_ Kiba screamed. As Akamaru released Kane's arm, he brought it back and pulled out a kunai, glaring at Kiba hatefully.

Kiba attempted to jump away, but Kane retained a firm grasp on his arm, refusing to let him leave. He brought his kunai around, and cut it across Kiba's arm.

As the Inuzuka collapsed, Kane's attention snapped towards Tsunade, the woman closing in fast.

 _"Move and he dies!"_ Kane barked as he held the kunai towards Kiba's neck.

Tsunade halted, gritting her teeth angrily.

Kane smirked as he eyed the combatants across the open fields.

Everyone was down, cringing and moaning as their blood burned.

Everyone except the one who mattered.

Kane grimaced as he slowly pulled his hand back, removing the impaled kunai from it.

Then, he watched in awe as it began healing itself, as did the bite marks on his other arm.

What an interesting development!

Kane turned to face Tsunade fully, a smirk on his face.

"As I was saying... Don't you see, Senju?"

Tsunade growled, "See _what?!"_

"See that this was meant to be! I always knew... I always knew that it would be an Uzumaki! The one with the perfect blood! You, Tsunade Senju, the last of the Tree People, the granddaughter of the matriarch of the Uzumaki clan... _You're the one!"_

"You're insane." Tsunade spat, and Kane laughed uproariously.

"No! This is destiny! This is why I was born! This is the meaning of my very existence, Tsunade Senju! To find perfection! The perfection that _you_ will bring to me!"

Kane raised both hands, and everyone began crying out as their blood began leaving their bodies.

 _"Inuzuka..."_ Kane spoke lowly as Kiba's blood flew towards him, and then he repeated the process with each individual's blood. _"Akimichi... Aburame... Yamanaka... Nara... Even the clanless Sakura Haruno!"_

Six balls of crimson began floating around Kane, and Tsunade stared in horror.

 _"None of them matter! Only your blood matters, Tsunade Senju!"_

Tsunade began shaking, and then she steeled herself.

"You think I'll let blood do me in like last time?! I won't! I won't let myself be controlled like that!" Tsunade practically roared as she prepared for another fight.

The blonde haired woman performed a single handsign, _"Yin Seal: Release!"_

As markings grew along her face, Kane looked on curiously.

"I won't allow my fear of blood to control me; Naruko showed me how to overcome it, and I refuse to let her down again!"

Kane's face turned angry as he sneered.

"Naruko, Naruko, _Naruko!_ It _always_ comes back to _Naruko!"_

"Make me bleed all you like, brat, I'll heal any damage you do!" Tsunade roared as she charged.

As Kane casually continued dodging blow after blow from the blonde haired Sannin, she grimaced internally.

 _'I can heal anything he does to me, but he's still too fast! I can't land a solid punch on the damned brat!'_

Tsunade jumped backwards as she scowled, realizing trying to land a blow on Kane was futile.

 _"Summoning Jutsu!"_

As Katsuyu appeared, the slug looked at the numerous injured parties in concern.

"Tsunade-sama! What is-"

"No time! Go heal everybody else!" Tsunade barked. Katsuyu nodded before splitting herself into multiple smaller slugs, and Kane raised an eyebrow.

"You think it's that easy?" he asked mockingly.

The six balls of blood flew over towards the others, stopping just above their bodies.

Tsunade glared as Kane smirked.

"Go ahead; see what happens when you go near them."

The woman charged again, and Kane scowled.

 _"No more games, Senju! Give me your blood!"_

As Tsunade's fist flew over Kane's head, the boy whipped out a kunai, and drew it across her stomach.

Tsunade gasped as she fell to the ground, and Kane smiled viciously.

Then frowned, as her wound immediately began resealing itself.

 _'No!'_ Kane screamed internally, and the wound stopped closing.

Kane stared, awestruck, as Tsunade Senju's most powerful healing technique _stopped working._

Katsuyu gasped, attempting to make her way to Tsunade, but Kane sneered at the slug queen and she froze.

Thunder sounded from above, the dark clouds declaring their intent to barrage the landscape with water soon.

Kane stared down at Tsunade, his thoughts running a mile a minute.

 _'This is it! This is what I've been searching for! This is my destiny!'_

Kane _ripped_ Tsunade's blood from her stomach, the woman gasping as her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and the blood came to a stop in front of Kane's face.

His eyes widened as he stared at it.

 _Perfection._

 _The purest blood in the world!_

Kane trembled as he gently reached out to touch it, the dark liquid sending a shiver down his spine as it made contact with his finger.

 _Purer than even the Hyuuga._

He turned around, walking away from the downed Senju as the last remaining Water Bullet arrived and came to a stop above Tsunade, preventing Katsuyu from aiding her.

Kane cupped his hands, the ball of crimson floating gently above his palms as he stared down at it with pure awe.

 _"Kane!"_

It took a moment, but Kane managed to tear his eyes away from the blood in front of him, taking in the sight of two approaching figures.

Thunder roared once more.

His once upon a time teammates, sprinting towards him.

 _Naruko and Sasuke._

And the first drop of rain landed gently against his cheek.

* * *

End of Chapter 94

 _ **A/N:**_

Next chapter is the _**Arc Finale**_.

We've hit so many milestones. We've reached over 1k Reviews! We're entering the finale for the fourth Arc! With the release of the finale, we'll reach over 300k words! We'll be at 95 chapters, only 5 away from 100! So many milestones are being hit!

Since it's the Finale, just like last time, I'm not releasing it right away. In fact, I've decided to upload it _**Monday Morning**_ , since Monday is Labor Day in the USA. After that, Tuesday will be our 4th Intermission.

See you Monday!

-Traydox


	98. Chapter 95

Perfection.

Had he not already tasted the blood of the Uzumaki, Kane would have grown concerned at what he felt. A thin trail of murkiness in a river of purity, like a small line of caramel within a piece of chocolate.

 _"Kane?"_

He knew it would be an Uzumaki, and therefore the thin trail did not concern him in the slightest. In fact, it did quite the opposite. The Uzumaki were the only clan, the only blood, to have a singular strand of impurity cutting across the middle of the blood. Normally, the murkiness came in the form of small balls or pebbles, gently floating and bouncing around. But not the Uzumaki. It was as if the clan was pure, and yet had become tainted. As if the very blood of the Uzumaki isolated the impure into one location, where the pure could flow smoothly around it.

 _"Kane!"_

The strand was smaller, too, within Tsunade Senju. The smallest he'd found yet. This was truly the perfect blood! True perfection may be unattainable, but the blood of the Uzumaki found a way to isolate that which is an infiltrator. The Senju, the purest of them all, combined with the only blood with the ability to isolate the impurity that could be found...

A recipe for greatness.

A recipe for brilliance.

 _Perfection!_

 _"Kane!"_

This time, he heard the call of his name. He snapped his head up, his surroundings coming back to him all at once.

 _ **'Drip.'**_

 _ **'Drip.'**_

 _ **'Drip.'**_

Slowly, he found droplets of rainfall landing carefully against his cheeks, as if caressing him.

His eyes took in the sight of blonde and black. Blue and black. Male and female.

Naruko and Sasuke.

He stared at them, and they stared right back. Where he stood straight, calm, they stood slouched, tense.

Why were they interrupting him again?

"Is there something you need?" Kane asked calmly, stoically. Naruko and Sasuke stared at him, as if unsure how to respond to such a simple question.

Were they okay? It really was a simple question. Perhaps he'd broken them, somehow.

Oh well. It wasn't his problem if they had gone senile. It wasn't his problem is they had lost the capacity to think.

He had his own things to deal with.

Kane glanced back down towards the blood, his hands still cupped partially around the large ball of crimson, as if he were holding it and _not_ making it float in the air on it's own.

What was he going to do with it?

Drink it, of course.

But what if that wasn't right? What if there was something else he was supposed to do, instead?

What the hell else could there be, though? No, drinking was the solution.

Still, he felt concern. He didn't come all this way just to screw it all up. Not when he was so close.

So close to his _Ascension._

He felt it. As the rain slowly began falling faster and faster, his senses grew, and he _felt_ it.

His eyes snapped up, honing in on the visage of Naruko Namikaze as she took a cautious step forward. Immediately upon seeing his reaction, she took that step right back, as if startled by his reaction.

Or scared.

The thought seemed to bring him back to reality somewhat, as Kane realized who, exactly, was standing before him.

Rather than grow upset, or concerned, or even angry by their presence...

Kane smirked.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Kane asked, slowly bringing the blood of Tsunade Senju just a bit higher, as if it was apart of his showcase.

"Kane, what's going on?" Naruko asked slowly, carefully.

Kane tilted his head slightly as he looked at the famous Namikaze, the steady drizzle of rain slowly dampening her blonde locks.

 _'She's gorgeous.'_

"Isn't it obvious? I'm fulfilling my destiny!" Kane said with joy, true joy.

 _Pure_ joy.

"Kane, what the hell have you done to the others?" Sasuke sneered, and Kane blinked stupidly before glancing behind him.

The bodies of the rest of the Rookie 9, as well as that of Tsunade Senju, lay unconscious on the ground. A small ball of crimson floated above the heads of each individual, save for Tsunade who had a ball of water over her head instead.

Kane turned back to face his ex-teammates, and shrugged.

"They got in my way."

Both Naruko and Sasuke's faces darkened slightly at his words.

"Kane, you've gone too far! It's time to stop!" Naruko yelled, and Kane gave her a confused look in return.

"Stop? Why would I stop? I'm nearly finished! I've finally done it, guys! I've fulfilled my destiny!"

The two traded looks before Sasuke spoke up, "What are you talking about?"

Kane looked annoyed before raising the ball of blood just a bit higher, as if emphasizing it's existence.

"Don't you see? This is my destiny! This is why I was born!" Kane spoke as if his words were fact, and their ignorance of the validity behind them was blasphemous.

He spoke like Hidan, when the man ranted about Jashin.

"Kane, what are you talking about? This is insane!" Naruko said, an unheard plea in her voice.

"The reason I was born in Konoha instead of Hoshi... The reason I was chosen to bear the burden of hatred as a Jinchuriki-" Naruko flinched, "-the reason my clan was slaughtered, the reason I was conceived! It's all here, right in front of me! Don't you see?!" Kane ranted, half-mad.

"How can any of _this_ be your destiny?!" Sasuke spat as he gestured behind Kane, towards the unconscious forms of their friends. Kane didn't so much as blink, completely ignoring the Rookie 9 at his back. "You've gone insane, Dead Last!"

Kane stared at the two for several moments, before glaring lightly.

Slowly, he raised his arms, and Tsunade's blood floated higher and higher into the sky, the steady drizzle of rain maneuvering around the blood naturally, as if repelled by it.

He stared up at it for several seconds, before snapping his head forward to glare at the two hatefully.

"Dead Last? After all this time, Sasuke? You still think I'm the Dead Last?" Kane spoke coldly, lowly.

Sasuke flinched ever so slightly, "No, Kane. That's not what I mean. Just like I call Naruko an idiot, I call you Dead Last."

Kane relaxed slightly, smirking at the two.

"Good! Because, obviously, I'm not the same little Genin anymore. Afterall, I have Kami on my side now!"

"... Kami?" Sasuke asked slowly, a bewildered look on his face.

"Kane, what the hell are you going on about?!" Naruko snapped, growing agitated by his jumps in conversation and inconsistent mood swings.

"Kami! Well, maybe you're confused because you're right. Maybe it's not Kami. Maybe it's Destiny. Fate. Or maybe it's Jashin!" Kane seemed thoughtful, and the two continued to stare at him, flabbergasted.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you, Kane?!" Sasuke spat.

Kane pointed up towards the sky, the drizzle of rain slowly picking up with each and every second that passed.

"I finally find the purist blood, after all this time, and it _rains_ right after?! Right before the two of you show up?! It's a sign! A sign from whatever power exists out there! This is my _Destiny!"_

"What is?!" Naruko yelled, unable to follow the conversation.

"To find the purest blood! To find _perfection!_ Do you not see?! Tsunade Senju, the _last_ Senju, with Uzumaki blood within her? You think that's just _coincidence?!_ No! This is _fate!_ " Kane raved.

Sasuke shook his head slowly.

"He's lost it, Naruko."

Naruko looked horrified, her face growing slightly white.

"Yeah, he has."

Kane sneered at the two in response, "You think I'm mad? Fine! Think what you like. It's time for me to go."

The two tensed, Naruko growling in response, "You think we're going to let you walk away?"

Kane raised an eyebrow, a condescending look on his face, "Would you rather fight? The others need to be treated by a medic ninja soon, you know."

He thumbed backwards towards the others, and both Naruko and Sasuke scowled in response.

Kane smirked again, "Actually, I could just kill them all right now. Their wounds still haven't closed; I won't let them."

"You would kill them?! They're our _friends_ , Kane! They're _your_ friends!" Naruko yelled, anger and disbelief in her voice.

He sneered, "The only person I might have called a friend was Karin, and she's not here right now, is she?"

They both seemed hurt by his words, but for the life of Kane he couldn't understand why.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kane yelled, complete disbelief and a tinge of desperation coating his voice. "I just threatened to murder the others! I've seen the two of you _once_ since I abandoned Konoha _years_ ago! We were on the same Genin squad for, what, four months?! _I barely know you guys! You barely know me! So why are you so affected by my words?!"_

Kane had thought, when he'd first started hunting Akatsuki, that Naruko and Sasuke would have moved on, completely forgetting about him.

He never expected such dedication.

Not to him.

"Because... You're our family, Kane." Naruko whispered, her words barely heard over the sound of the rain.

Kane's eyes went wide with shock, and then narrowed with fury.

"The only family I ever had, I never met. The only family I ever had conceived me for _this_ purpose!" Kane yelled as he pointed up towards Tsunade's blood. "Maybe the two of you _are_ my family. You've been a thorn in my side, the same as them!"

"We're your family, Dead Last. Like it or not." Sasuke gruffed out, and Kane sneered in response. Naruko took a step forward, and his eyes snapped to hers.

"And we're not going home without you!" She said with confidence.

"Oh yeah? Who's going to make me?" Kane asked lowly, threateningly.

 _"We are."_ They said together.

The three fell into silence, thunder resounding across the area as lightning flashed, the rain now pelting into the earth as it came down at full throttle.

"Then," Kane drawled, as if tasting the word on his tongue, "perhaps you should've stopped me before the rain picked up."

Before the words left his lips, Sasuke moved.

Electricity bounced off his body, flying into the air and around both himself and Naruko, an electrical discharge.

 _"Chidori Nagashi!"_

Kane noted, with surprise, that the electricity bounced around Naruko, never touching her. The numerous sparks of lightning flowed throughout the air, cutting across each individual droplet of water as it fell down from the sky. An incredible display of both skill and Chakra control.

Kane realized then, that he'd been foolish to be surprised.

This was Sasuke Uchiha, after all.

Still, their bodies were wet from the rain, and all it would take-

 _"Wind Style: Air Blast!"_

As if she read his mind, Naruko performed a wind jutsu, causing both her clothes as well as Sasuke's to billow from a sudden gust of wind from her outstretched palms, completely drying both of them in an instant.

Kane raised an eyebrow.

"How long can you keep that up, Sasuke?" He called out reproachfully, as Sasuke grit his teeth in concentration.

Kane scowled as suddenly, over twenty Naruko's appeared, and they all began charging him through the rain. Although the boiling water took its toll on the clones immediately, they all roared in determination as they remained steadfast, sprinting towards him with all their might.

He sneered as he began concentrating. The water on the ground, the rain in the air nearest to him, all of it began merging at different focal points, creating more than a dozen small balls of water that continued to grow larger and larger by the second.

 _'I don't have a lake nearby, so I'm going to have to create water tendrils from the rain water. Until then...'_

Kane smirked as he crouched down. He'd learned his lesson from Itachi Uchiha; don't let an Uchiha catch you in a Genjutsu. He wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

He'd never even stopped heating up his own blood.

He sprinted at the Naruko's, one kunai in his right hand, and began disposing of them one by one.

Kane was faster than them. His Taijutsu was better than average, but his speed was what truly set him apart. Quickly, each clone began dispersing.

Kane remembered how, years ago, he'd wondered how Sasuke could manage to take on so many clones at once.

He'd wondered if he'd ever get that strong, too.

Those days felt like a lifetime ago.

Kane turned his head slightly as a ball of blue began growing from his peripheral.

 _"Rasengan!"_ Two of the clones screamed as they pushed the rasengan into his chest, the jutsu exploding into a large cloud of dust.

"I got him!" Naruko called out, and then winced slightly. Sasuke sighed with relief as he halted his jutsu, the rain pelting the two of them once more.

He turned to face the blonde, and then frowned at the look on her face.

"Naruko, quit looking so guilty. We needed to take him out; he gave us no choice, and-"

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, his Sharingan activating instinctually, as a tendril of water flew at the two of them from behind Naruko.

 _"Move!"_

He jumped, and Naruko was quick to follow suit, the two scattering into different directions.

Sasuke scowled as suddenly, a fist came flying towards him from the side. He threw up a block, his Sharingan enhancing his reflexes, and began dodging blow after blow as Kane attempted to punch him.

"Did you think I didn't see the Rasengan?! I see everything in the rain!" Kane screamed with a malicious grin.

"Don't make me do this, Dead Last!" Sasuke screamed right back.

"Do _what?!_ I'm _faster_ than you, Sasuke!"

As if proving a point, Kane's fist planted itself firmly into Sasuke's stomach, the Uchiha grunting and jumping away. He didn't get far, as Kane was right back on top of him, throwing punch after punch.

"Stay out of this, Naruko! I want to teach Sasuke some manners!" Kane screamed, the same grin on his face, as the charging Naruko suddenly yelped and found herself dodging numerous water tendrils. Kane leapt at Sasuke, and the Uchiha stood his ground.

Sasuke growled, staring into Kane's eyes.

Kane stared right back.

Then, Kane slogged him across the jaw.

Sasuke jumped away, completely shocked.

 _'My Genjutsu doesn't work on him?!'_

Kane smirked as Sasuke landed, glaring back at him.

"Did you forget about the rain, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes widened as he suddenly cried out, the rain baring down on him suddenly becoming overbearingly hot and the water already on him burning away at his skin.

He fell to one knee, and Kane's smirk widened.

 _"Sasuke!"_ Naruko screamed, but the girl found herself immediately dodging another water tendril.

Kane approached slowly, "How's the dirt taste, Sasuke?"

Sasuke sneered up at him before wincing at the pain from the boiling rain.

"Don't make me do this, Dead Last." Sasuke repeated his earlier words, and Kane's smile fell away.

"Nobody will stop me, not even the two of you. Not when I'm so close." Kane responded with a slight glare.

Sasuke closed his eyes in pain, and whether it was at the rain or his words Kane didn't know.

"I'm sorry, Dead Last." Sasuke whispered, and Kane looked at him in surprise.

"What? What are you-"

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, revealing twin Mangekyou Sharingans. His eyes narrowed in on Kane's arm, and the boy gasped as he realized what was about to happen.

Kane tried to jump away, but it was too late.

 _"Amaterasu!"_

Kane screamed as his arm was suddenly alit with black fire, the rain unable to even halt the spread of the black flames.

Kane fell to the ground, attempting to put out the fire any way he could, as Naruko landed by his side.

 _"Sasuke! Put it out!"_ Naruko screamed, and Sasuke shook his head as he gripped his eye painfully, blood trailing out slowly.

 _"No! Not until we know he's subdued!"_

 _"You're going to kill him, bastard!"_

 _"No, I won't!"_

 _"Put it out!"_

 _"Not yet!"_

Their voices didn't even reach Kane, the boy screaming as he continued gripping his arm painfully.

When the flame suddenly jumped in size, Kane was caught completely off guard, and his screaming increased as his head was suddenly alit too.

Sasuke and Naruko both gasped at the development.

 _"Sasuke!"_

Sasuke closed his eyes, and then snapped them open as he willed the flames of Amaterasu away, Kane's struggles ceasing as he laid on the ground, unmoving.

Naruko and Sasuke stared at him, one in horror and the other in fearful regret.

Slowly, Kane stood up, his body trembling as he kept his head down, shielding his face from them.

They watched, unsure what would happen next.

Then, Kane's head snapped up to face them, and he _laughed._

"Don't you see?! Kami, Jashin, _what the hell ever!_ They want me to win this fight!" Kane screamed as he threw his injured arm out, showing the quickly rejuvenating wounds along the entirety of it.

Sasuke gasped, "How are you-"

"I don't know! That's the thing! I don't _know!"_ Kane screamed, still laughing as his body fully recovered.

"Kane, what are you saying?!" Naruko screamed right back, attempting to get through the haze of his mind.

"My bloodline, my skills, none of them let me heal like this! This isn't me! This isn't natural! Somebody, a higher power, is healing me! That's because this is my destiny, and I won't be denied!" Kane continued to scream at the top of his lungs.

 _"Not even by the two of you!"_

The two jumped away as water tendrils came flying towards them, and Sasuke grunted as he aimed his arm skywards.

 _"Chidori Stream!"_

Sasuke, his Sharingan jumping around quickly, began aiming his jutsu at each droplet of water in the raging thunderstorm. Naruko grabbed him by the waist as she continued dodging the water tendrils.

"I can't keep this up for very long, idiot!" Sasuke called out as Naruko glanced at Kane fearfully.

"I can't summon the toads! We can't draw blood, remember?!"

Sasuke frowned as he continued focusing on his jutsu, "Didn't I just draw blood with Amaterasu?!"

"Yeah, but he was injured! You must've healed since then!"

"Then do the same thing!"

"What?!"

"Summon a toad, and then heal yourself!"

"I don't know healing jutsu, bastard!"

Sasuke cursed as his eyes widened.

"Naru, to your le-"

Naruko did a frontflip as she jumped over another tendril, landing on both feet and jumping away as both ninja winced from the rain droplets that managed to land on their skin.

"I know, bastard! Keep the rain off us!"

Sasuke scowled as he kept firing.

Kane continued to watch calmly from a distance. Slowly, he brought the blood down in front of him as he found himself losing interest in them.

 _'They won't last much longer. What matters is this...'_

He stared in awe as he once again began focusing on the blood.

The perfect blood.

It was time to figure out what was so special about this blood.

He glanced up, and his eyes widened.

A fist was within inches of his face.

Kane managed to swerve out of the way just in time, Naruko scowling as he did so, and Kane sneered as he realized that he'd completely lost sight of everything around him during his thoughts.

He and Naruko began trading blows as the blood launched back into the sky, staying a safe distance away.

"Stop this now, Kane! This isn't you!" Naruko yelled as she punched him in the face.

Kane scowled as he kicked her away, "This is my destiny!" He screamed back as he focused on heating up the rain once more.

 _"No, your destiny is with us!"_ Naruko suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, her eyes becoming yellow and shifting to sideways dashes.

She launched herself at him, and Kane's eyes widened as he found she was suddenly much faster than before.

But not fast enough.

He sidestepped as her fist flew passed his face, and Kane began willing a tendril of water to him as the rain began boiling once more.

Only to find himself flung away as the fist seemed to connect to his cheek.

He bounced and rolled before catching himself, whirling around to stare at the blonde with wide eyes.

 _'I definitely dodged that punch!'_

Naruko stared at him, glaring harshly as the rain continued to pelt the girl.

His eyes widened further as she completely ignored the boiling water.

 _'She's different, now! Something's changed! She-'_

Kane gasped as he jumped backwards, a bolt of electricity flying right passed him. He realized too late that the bolt was never aimed directly at him, as it was never meant to hit.

The electricity bounced off the sides, colliding into him as his body began spazzing.

 _Just like with the Raikage._

The thought sent adrenaline through him, and Kane _refused_ to fall.

He stood there, shaking slightly, as he attempted to get a grip on himself. As the pain ebbed away, his senses returning to him, he felt her before he saw her.

His eyes snapped up to stare into her yellow ones as she grabbed him by the shirt, lifted him over her head...

 _"You're coming home, Kane!"_ Naruko screamed.

And _slammed_ him into the ground.

Kane coughed out blood as the world started spinning, his mind completely disoriented.

 _'No!'_

Naruko pulled her fist back, intending on knocking him out, and Kane saw red.

 _ **'No!'**_

Naruko slammed her fist into his head, and scowled as she realized what he'd done before it even happened. She turned, glaring, as the Kane under her burst into water and he began growing from a puddle of water some ways away.

Kane sneered as he was halfway up from the ground, and the water beneath Naruko suddenly _jumped_ up at her.

Naruko didn't even blink, simply glaring at him as the boiling water rammed into her.

 _'She doesn't even care!'_

As Kane finished growing from the water on the ground, he glared over towards Sasuke, who stood ready to fire off more jutsu at him.

He turned back towards Naruko, "How are you not being hurt?"

She shook her head, "When I was learning Sage Mode, I thought of you, Kane."

 _'Sage Mode?'_ Kane thought as he narrowed his eyes.

"I thought of you, and I asked the toads of Mount Myouboku if there was something I could do about your control over water. Sage mode involved the natural energy of the world, so I thought, why couldn't it involve the natural elements, too?"

Kane wasn't sure what she was talking about, but he didn't care either.

Tsunade's blood was slowly making its way towards him.

"I didn't learn the traditional way. I incorporated _water_ into my training, Kane. But not just water; Water, Wind, Fire, Earth and even Lightning! Pops told me it was the most impressive thing he'd ever seen." Naruko said with a proud smirk, and Kane continued glaring as he focused on the blood in the sky.

"So I mastered Sage Mode, and not only that, I improved it! Your water can't hurt me, Kane! At least, the heat of your water can't... I improved upon something as I was learning it!"

Kane's eyes widened as Naruko suddenly gave him a bright smile.

"And it's all thanks to you, Kane!"

Kane scowled, "I'm touched."

"Do you think we don't see, Dead Last?" Sasuke's voice cut across the field, and Kane turned to glare at him as his Sharingan lazily glided towards the blood in the sky.

Naruko nodded as well, "What do you plan on doing with that blood, Kane? Are you going to try to drink it?"

His eyes widened, then narrowed. "You've done your homework."

"It's over, Dead Last. It's time to come home."

Kane's eyes began twitching from the force of his glare, "Over my dead body!"

"No, we aren't going to go that far. We're just going _to bring you down, Kane!"_ Naruko yelled as she charged, and Kane's eyes widened at her speed.

He dodged her punch.

Then went flying.

 _'I dodged it, damnit! I know I did!'_ Kane screamed internally as he caught his body and jumped, a huge fireball flying passed him courtesy of Sasuke.

He sneered as he began willing the rain above Sasuke to a boil, but the Uchiha started firing off more electricity into the air.

 _'That'll occupy him while-'_

Kane gasped as Naruko punched him in the stomach, then kicked him in the face. He went flying, again, as a sudden wall of water appeared, catching him.

He glared as Naruko put one hand on her hip, "We can keep doing this all day, Kane. You're not getting Grandma's blood!"

Kane sneered.

Nobody was going to keep him from that blood!

 _Nobody!_

He glared as he clapped his hands together, and Naruko raised a single eyebrow in response.

 _"Hidden Mist Jutsu!"_

As a mist began rolling through the area, Naruko frowned.

"What happened to you, Kane?" She called out, and Kane snarled as he began running a huge circle around the girl.

 _'If she can't see me, she stands no chance!'_

Then, Naruko's fist slammed into his gut, sending him flying.

He landed and his head whipped up.

 _'I didn't even sense her move! She may be faster than me, but she's not so much faster that I can't keep up! I should be able to detect her! Son of a bitch, my lack of sleep is getting to me! I can't focus!'_

Another punch hit him as these thoughts rolled through his mind, and the mist dissipated as he lost concentration.

"What happened to the Kane I remember?" Naruko asked as he stood back up, several tendrils of water flowing near him protectively.

"He's standing right in front of you!" Kane snarled, and Naruko frowned.

"Then why is he acting this way?"

 _"Because you never knew him to begin with!"_ Kane roared as he charged her.

Naruko closed her eyes, as if in pain, and Kane gasped as someone else's foot collided into his face, sending him flying.

 _'I forgot about Sasuke!'_ Kane internally scolded himself as he began panting.

Their hits were starting to take their toll, regardless of his bodies newfound healing capabilities.

"You're wrong, Dead Last." Sasuke called out, and Kane looked at him in confusion.

"What are you on about?" Kane scowled.

"You're wrong. We knew you; we may not have known how hard your life was, but we knew you. You're still the same person... You've just lost your way."

Before Kane could respond, Naruko stepped up beside Sasuke.

"And we're going to help you find it!" She said with determination.

Kane felt rage bubble in his chest.

There had to be a way out of this!

No, there wasn't. He couldn't win without blood.

 _Wait._

Kane stood slowly as he smirked, and the two tensed at the look on his face.

"It would be such a shame if one of the other Rookie 9 woke up and interrupted us, don't you think?" Kane drawled, smirk still in place, and Naruko and Sasuke both narrowed their eyes at him as he formed a small ball of water next to him.

Kane's smirk widened, "Don't worry! This here will make sure Sakura doesn't get healed by that damned slug."

"What? What are you-"

The ball of water took off, flying towards Sakura, stopping just above her body.

And then, the blood above Sakura left, flying towards him.

Naruko and Sasuke both went completely rigid as they realized what was happening.

"Clanless blood is disgusting, but I'd rather have it than one of the others. It'll make Senju's blood all the sweeter, once I get it." Kane said, a crazed look in his eyes.

"Kane, don't-" Naruko began, but then recoiled as Kane tilted his head back, and started to _drink._

The two watched, tense, as Kane rolled forward to face them head on.

A vicious, primal look in his eyes.

"You know, I just realized... I never have tasted the blood of the Uchiha." Kane spoke slowly, maliciously.

The two tensed.

"I wonder how it will hold up against the Hyuuga's. Your clans have been rivals for some time now, right? I can tell you who's is more pure, if you'd like. Although, the Hyuuga set the bar fairly high, I'll warn you."

"Kane, you-" Sasuke began, but was interrupted.

"And I've tasted Gaara's blood before-"

"You _what?!"_ Naruko gasped, interrupting him as well, but Kane continued.

"-but I wonder how a _true_ Jinchuriki's blood would taste! The Chakra of the Kyuubi no Kitsune! Not just that, but you're an Uzumaki, aren't you Naruko? And your father is the strongest ninja alive! The Namikaze! I wonder, is the Namikaze the purest of the impure?"

"Kane, stop-"

 _"Give me your blood, Naruko, Sasuke!"_ Kane screamed, disappearing from sight.

Naruko threw up her arm, blocking, as Kane collided into her.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

 _He hadn't even been able to track him!_

Naruko opened her mouth, intending to yell something to Sasuke, when Kane's foot slammed into her stomach, sending her flying.

Kane disappeared again, and Sasuke tried to dodge as Kane threw a punch towards his cheek.

Tried, and failed.

Sasuke went flying as well, and Kane willed over a dozen tendrils of water to him.

Eight tendrils launched towards Sasuke, the water tendrils gaining a speed boost as well, and Kane took the other four and charged after Naruko.

Naruko clapped her hands together as if in prayer, screaming, and Kane continued charging as he waited for the expected clone army to appear.

It never did.

Instead, three clones appeared, and Kane snarled as his fist collided into the original Naruko's arm as she blocked his blow, the clones surrounding him immediately as they tried to jump him.

A tendril of water rammed into one clone, knocking it away, as another quickly formed twin Rasengans and slammed them into two of the water tendrils.

Kane attempted to kick Naruko, but the girl was prepared for it and caught his leg, making his eyes widen slightly.

Even _Pain_ hadn't been able to catch him off guard in this mode!

Kane tried to free his leg, but Naruko held on tightly, glaring at him as he glared right back.

The final Naruko clone formed a Rasengan, took aim at him...

And slammed it into his chest.

As Kane's body went flying, the third Naruko clone dispersing from a bombardment of Water tendrils, the original and last remaining clone began dodging and weaving as the tendrils continued chasing them despite Kane being hit.

From a cloud of dust in the distance, Kane's arm reached out, swiping at the air and forcing the small dust cloud away as he snarled. He took stock of his surroundings, and his eyes honed in on Sasuke, the man seeming to have no trouble at all dealing with his water tendrils.

Kane snarled as he prepared to charge, willing the rain above Sasuke to boil once more, and he took off.

Sasuke yelled in pain at the unexpected transition of regular rain to boiling rain, and his eyes widened as he found Kane closing in on him quickly.

 _"Sasuke!"_ Naruko screamed as she realized what was happening too late.

Sasuke closed his eyes.

Kane and the tendrils grew close.

Then, Sasuke snapped his eyes open, a strange purple shield blocking Kane's fist from making contact with his cheek.

Kane's eyes widened and he snarled before jumping away.

 _"Susanoo!"_ Sasuke called out as the hulking form of Susanoo consumed him, blocking him from the rain and enemies alike.

Kane sneered, his mind going fuzzy as he couldn't decide what to do.

 _'I just need to make them bleed! Bleed, bleed, bleed!'_

Kane charged the Susanoo, his mind growing hazy from the bloodlust and lack of sleep.

He slammed his fist into the hulking skeletal form, his punch doing absolutely nothing.

Sasuke willed his Susanoo to lean back...

 _"Sasuke, no!"_

And slam his fist into Kane, sending him flying.

He rolled across the ground, his body unmoving as it came to a slow stop.

Naruko landed beside Sasuke, screaming at him.

 _"You could've killed him! What if he's hurt?!"_

 _"I had to do something! We need to put a stop to this, Naruko, before things get worse!"_ Sasuke screamed right back.

Kane slowly stood up, coughing out blood as he glared towards the two of them.

 _'If I can't get Sasuke, then I'll have to get Naruko!'_

He charged, the two instantly whirling around to face him and ceasing their bickering as they took notice of him.

Kane appeared in front of Naruko, throwing a punch.

Only for the clone he'd forgotten about to tackle him just before he reached her.

The two rolled around on the ground for a moment until a tendril of water slammed into the clone, dispersing it, and Kane jumped to his feet.

A large, purple arm landed on the ground behind him, and Kane sneered as he realized Sasuke was attempting to block his exit.

That was fine.

He wasn't trying to run.

Kane met Naruko head on, the two exchanging blows.

For every punch Kane landed, Naruko responded in kind.

While Kane felt each and every punch, Naruko didn't so much as flinch when he landed his own.

 _'What the hell is Sage Mode?!'_ Kane's half-conscience mind screamed at himself.

Kane's eyes widened as he saw an opening.

An opening beyond Naruko, beyond Sasuke...

 _And towards the Senju's blood._

Kane rolled suddenly, swapping their positions, and Naruko braced for another assault as she whirled around.

Instead, Kane jumped backwards, turned around, and _ran._

"What?! Wait-" Naruko gasped as she realized what he was doing, and Sasuke let out a curse as his Susanoo grew in size, a more complete form overtaking the skeletal figure.

Sasuke's Susanoo pulled out a crossbow, and took aim.

 _"Sasuke, stop! You can't, you'll kill him!"_

 _"I have to stop him, Naruko!"_

 _"Not like that! You'll kill him!"_

Sasuke cursed as he admitted to the truth behind her statement, lowering his weapon.

The two watched as Kane whirled around in the distance, the blood flying through the air to come to a stop in front of him.

Kane cupped his hands around it, glanced up at the two of them, and _laughed._

"Despite everything, I've got it! Don't you see?! This is my _Destiny,_ Naruko, Sasuke!" Kane screamed, and the two grimaced as they watched him, the rainstorm continuing to pelt down across the plains.

Kane glanced down at the blood in front of him, a delighted smile on his face.

 _'Finally! No more stalling! No more-'_

Kane closed his eyes and took half a step backwards as a wave of dizziness struck through him.

 _'What? But-'_

Again, the dizziness struck and Kane recoiled several steps as the blood flew higher into the air.

 _'No, wait!'_

Kane realized then, even in his half-mad state, what was happening.

The Blood Well was calling to him.

 _'no. No. No!_ _ **No!**_ _'_

He stumbled forward, reaching out desperately towards the ball of crimson, as Naruko and Sasuke watched in complete shock at what was happening.

 _'Not now! Please, not now! I need to drink it, I need...'_

But Kane realized then, that he couldn't. Drinking more blood would not stop the Blood Well from summoning him.

 _'I can't lose here! They'll take me back! I haven't even found my perfection yet! I can't lose; I_ _ **can't!**_ _'_

The moment he'd drank Sakura's blood, he'd sealed his fate.

 _'No!'_

And he fell forward, his consciousness fading away.

* * *

Kane's eyes snapped open as he found himself in the Blood Well, a single waterfall of blood flowing downward from the abyss above and into the Red Sea.

 _"No..."_ He whispered, knowing what his presence here meant.

Just like when he'd fought Pain...

In the middle of a battle...

He'd fallen unconscious.

 _He'd lost._

"No. _No. NO!"_ Kane roared at the top of his lungs, flinging water left and right as he raged, lashing out at the air in front of him.

"I came all this way. _I came all this way!"_ Kane continued to scream, his voice filled with fury and sorrow.

He began shaking as he stood still, staring at the waterfall of blood.

The reason he was here.

Everytime he'd come to the Blood Well, it had taken Kane quite some time to remove all of the blood from the Red Sea. It was a slow process, taking several minutes at the bare minimum for even the smallest of waterfalls. The more blood he drank, the more waterfalls would appear.

When he'd drank Pain's blood, there had been sixteen.

It took him over two hours to stop the flow of blood, and remove the blood from the Red Sea.

 _'No!'_

Kane watched helplessly as he began willing the waterfall to slow down; as he began willing it to reverse itself, flowing upwards into the black abyss that was the sky.

This would take several minutes, and once he was finished, he would black out.

 _'No, no_ _ **NO!**_ _I didn't come all this way just for it to all end here!_ _ **NO!**_ _'_

Kane watched as the process slowly began. The process that meant his defeat.

He remembered how he'd, somehow, learned how to summon himself to the Blood Well after his loss to Pain. He never figured out how he'd done it, but he had.

 _'If I can summon myself, then i can dismiss myself! Let me out, damnit! Let me out, let me out, let me_ _ **out!**_ _'_

But the Blood Well kept him locked inside.

It would not dismiss him until he'd finished his duty.

Kane wondered if they'd already grabbed him. If Naruko and Sasuke were taking him and the others back to Konoha.

He wondered what happened to Tsunade's blood.

Kane froze as he realized he could still feel it.

Just as he'd been able to manipulate the blood in his shoulder for over two years, he could still manipulate the Senju's blood in his unconscious state.

He felt Tsunade's, Kiba's, Shikamaru's... _Everyone's_ blood, still floating in the air in the real world. He even felt the water that remained floating over Tsunade and Sakura's bodies.

Despite his unconscious state, he was still connected to the waking world.

 _'So why can't I stay connected to the Blood Well, then?'_

The thought made him freeze.

Slowly, Kane's attention honed in on the blood leaving the Red Sea and entering the abyss above.

He willed it to continue, for the purification process to continue.

Then, slowly, he willed himself to _wake up._

Just as he could call himself to the Blood Well, he tried to call himself to the waking world, the purification process still ongoing.

His eyes rolled backwards as a strange sensation overcame him.

And for the first time, Kane dismissed himself from the Blood Well.

* * *

"Is... Is it over?" Naruko asked carefully, and Sasuke nodded slowly.

"Yeah... I think it is. Your godfather told us how Kane passed out after drinking Pain's blood when they fought."

"Nagato," Naruko snapped suddenly, "Call him Nagato."

Sasuke nodded, "Right. Sorry."

Naruko let loose a sigh of relief, "Let's go get him, then. Then we'll check on the others, and let Katsuyu heal everyone."

"Yeah."

As Naruko prepared to shut off her Sage Mode, as Sasuke prepared to shut off his Susanoo, the two tensed as they saw it.

Slowly, Kane started rising.

His head snapped up, an insane, wild look in his eyes.

 _"I did it..."_ Sasuke read the words off his lips, the actual words spoken too quietly for either to hear.

Then, Kane stood up fully, tilted his head back, and _screamed._

 _"I did it!"_

He began laughing as Tsunade's blood flew down to him, floating in front of him once more.

 _"I did it, I did it, I did it!"_

Kane could feel it. The Blood Well. He could feel it in the same way he could feel the waking world when asleep.

A small, still-manipulated ball of water, deep within the recesses of his Chakra.

He could feel the Red Sea. He could feel the purification process still going on. He could feel it all!

Kane couldn't tell _where_ the Red Sea was, if it actually had a physical location. He didn't know where it was, how big it was, nothing.

 _But he could feel it!_

Kane laughed as he stared out towards Naruko and Sasuke, the two watching him with wide eyes.

"See? I told you! This is my destiny! Not even the Blood Well will deny me!"

He brought Tsunade's blood to his face.

 _The purest blood._

 _"Kane! Don't do this!"_ Naruko screamed as lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and the wind seemed to _howl._

He gave her a huge, manic smile.

Then, he tilted his head back, brought Tsunade's blood to his lips, and _drank._

 _Ecstasy, like nothing ever before!_

Kane felt as if everything changed, in that moment. The feeling of the rain, the sensory capabilities it provided to him, became crystal clear. Where once the rain told him he had hair on his head, now it told him _everything._

The number of strands. The distance between strands. The length, the width...

He felt every creak and crevice in the dirt. He felt every blade of grass on the plains.

He felt the oncoming ninja, so far in the distance he normally wouldn't have noticed them while in the heat of battle...

"Called for reinforcements, did you?" Kane called out, and both Naruko and Sasuke looked surprised.

"What? No, we-" Naruko began.

"It doesn't matter. They won't stop me!" Kane called out calmly, as if stating a fact.

He closed his eyes, and willed the _entire_ rainstorm to become boiling water.

He felt the animals react in the distance, screeching and whining. He felt the trees react, as the rain began forming holes in the leaves.

He felt the ninja react, as they began collapsing one by one.

 _'Almost. There's still one ninja that hasn't fallen, but they're definitely taking a pounding from the rain. A strong ninja, to still be standing.'_

He ignored it for the moment.

The only ones who mattered were standing in front of him.

Kane felt his bloodlust grow.

 _"Naruko! Sasuke! Help me test my perfection!"_ Kane screamed.

Then, he was gone.

Faster than he'd _ever_ been, he was in front of Naruko.

The blonde haired Namikaze gasped, and Kane sent her flying with a kick to the stomach.

 _'Even in Sage Mode!'_

He turned, jumping away, as Sasuke's Susanoo attempted to grab him.

Kane charged the colossal creature, feeling the blood of the Senju flow through him.

He pulled his fist back, and swung.

His fist collided into the chest of Susanoo.

 _And shattered it._

Sasuke cried out as he was flung backwards, the Susanoo wilting for a moment before springing back to life, albeit looking worse for wear.

Kane opened and closed his hand.

 _He felt so strong!_

 _Like he could take on the world!_

Kane didn't dodge when Naruko's punch came flying at his chest.

He didn't flinch when two Naruko's, one on each side, came barrelling towards him, each holding _Rasengan._

Kane swatted Naruko's punch away.

He tilted his head to the side, that strange secondary punch her Sage Mode could do missing his head.

He stepped backwards, reaching both arms out and grabbing the wrists of both clones and throwing them away.

He kicked out towards the real Naruko, sending her flying once again.

Kane turned towards Sasuke, only to find the man's Sharingan spinning.

 _"Amaterasu!"_

And Sasuke watched in complete disbelief, as Kane _dodged_ it, his speed too fast for Sasuke to track.

He fell to the ground as Kane began heating his blood up, a thin trail of blood flowing out from his eye.

Kane charged Sasuke once more.

Sasuke was prepared this time, throwing his arms up to attempt a block, even from his kneeling position.

It wasn't necessary.

Halfway towards him, Kane froze.

 _'What?!'_

The Blood Well was calling to him.

 _Already._

This time, Kane didn't fall.

Kane tilted his head back, allowed his eyes to roll to the back of his head, and stopped moving.

* * *

His eyes snapped open.

 _One Second._

He found over fifteen waterfalls of blood flowing from the abyss.

 _Two Seconds._

Kane noted that Sakura's waterfall was already gone.

 _Three Seconds._

 _'What the hell is going on?! It's already time to purify?!'_

 _Four Seconds._

Kane willed the purification process to begin, on _all fifteen waterfalls at once._

 _Five Seconds._

He scowled as he glanced around, realizing for the first time that the process seemed... Easier, somehow.

 _Six Seconds._

The purification process generally goes one Waterfall at a time.

 _Seven Seconds._

Now, he found he could do them all at once, albeit it was a lot harder to do.

 _Eight Seconds._

Kane scowled as he focused on the feel of the waking world.

 _Nine Seconds._

Then, he dismissed himself.

 _Ten._

* * *

Kane's eyes rolled forward, Naruko and Sasuke both tensing as they halted their movements.

 _'They were going to try to take me out just now! While I was unconscious!'_

The thought made him angry.

But then, it made him _pleased._

 _So very, very pleased._

 _'That was amazing! The Senju's blood truly is the purest of the pure! Is that was perfection truly feels like?! I-'_

Kane froze, suddenly, as thoughts whirled around in his mind.

 _Wait._

Why was it over already?

No, better than that...

 _Why had it only lasted a short time?_

This wasn't right.

 _This wasn't right!_

His perfection, it wasn't supposed to be a temporary thing! It was supposed to be permanent, right?!

 _Right?!_

And was that truly it?! It had felt amazing, yes, but he hadn't felt the same strength as that night with the tornado!

 _It was just a power boost. Same as always._

No.

 _No, no, no!_

This was wrong! This was all wrong!

Kane scowled as he glared at the two, both watching him carefully.

"We need to try that again." Kane said coldly.

Then, he willed Tsunade's body into the air, bringing it to him.

He noted drily how easy that had been, this time. Manipulating someone's body.

Kane _ripped_ the blood from Tsunade's body, Naruko screaming in horror as he dropped the woman to the ground.

Holding her blood, Kane came to an epiphany.

 _'It's the same thing. It's the same damned thing!'_

No matter what; no matter how much better this blood was, no matter how pure, no matter how good it felt...

 _It wasn't what he was looking for._

 _'No! This is it; there is_ _ **no**_ _blood that would ever be more pure than this! I'm sure of it! I'm_ _ **sure**_ _of it!'_

Then why?

Why did it not bring him his perfection?!

The purest blood, the blood of Tsunade Senju...

It gave him nothing more than what any other blood gave him, once all was said and done.

 _"NO!"_ Kane suddenly screamed, making Naruko and Sasuke flinch.

He took a kunai, and stabbed his arm.

He willed the blood of the Rookie 9 to him. He willed blood from Sakura Haruno to him. He willed his _own_ blood out of the cut on his arm and into the air.

Kane examined them all, closely.

Each different; some more pure than others.

But all the _same._

 _'No no no no no no no no no!'_

Had it been for nothing?

Everything he'd done.

Was the purest blood, was his perfection, nothing more than a damned _power boost?!_

He refused.

 _ **He refused!**_

Kane smashed the eight separate balls of crimson together, forming one huge ball as the bloods intermixed.

 _What did it matter anymore, if he mixed bloods?!_

 _What did purity matter, if they all were the same in the end?!_

 _A simple, temporary, power boost?! That's all purity could bring?!_

Kane screamed in pure denial as he leaned back, and began drinking the entire thing.

Sasuke pulled up his crossbow, and took aim.

 _"Sasuke, wha-"_

 _"We have to stop him, Naruko! By any means necessary!"_ Sasuke roared over the girl, aiming the shot.

Sasuke _fired._

Naruko _screamed._

Kane _snapped._

He pulled his arm back...

And _punched_ the arrow into nothingness.

 _'That's all I'm doing!'_

Kane realized what it was, then and there.

 _'I've taken Tsunade's technique, and I'm using it! I'm not doing anything special; these are just Tsunade's punches! That's all it is; I'm stealing her technique!'_

Kane screamed as his mind _snapped._

He began _floating_ into the sky, no water beneath his feet, and the rain seemed to double in intensity.

Kane stared down at them with wild eyes.

 _"Naruko!"_ Sasuke screamed, and the blonde closed her eyes, tears streaking down her face and intermingling with the rain as she nodded slowly.

 _"We have to throw everything we've got at him, even if it's too much."_ She agreed.

Naruko formed a Rasenshuriken as Sasuke took aim with Susanoo once again.

Kane dove down towards them, as if flying, and the two _fired._

Only to watch as Kane disappeared from sight, dodging both jutsu, and appearing on the ground once again.

He charged them, Sasuke's Susanoo dissipating as he ran out of Chakra and Naruko's Sage Mode following suit.

Then, both watched helplessly as he took a kunai, and cut both of them across the shoulders in one fell swoop.

They fell to the ground as their blood began heating up, but not so much as to cause them any serious pain.

The two stared up at him, and he stared right back, his eyes wild. He glared, showcasing his pearly white teeth.

Slowly, twin thin trails of blood began leaving their shoulders, flowing upwards and between Kane's gritted teeth.

He looked up towards the sky, thoughtful, as he began to slowly float back into the air.

"Yeah, just as I thought... Neither of you are even close to as pure as the Senju." Kane spoke aloud, but it seemed as if he was talking to himself.

He grew further and further into the air, and further and further away from them, as he gripped his head with both hands stressfully.

"If the Senju's blood is the purest, what am I supposed to do?! There's nobody left!" Kane spoke aloud, his body shaking.

 _"We can't beat him, Naruko..."_ Sasuke whispered as he stared up at Kane helplessly.

 _"I know... We failed."_ Naruko whispered back, defeated.

"What am I supposed to do?!" Kane yelled, nearly a hundred tendrils of water floating in the sky behind him.

Kane glanced towards the unconscious Rookie Nine, noticing that several Katsuyu slugs were healing them and several were even beginning to regain consciousness.

They didn't matter. He sneered as he diverted his attention elsewhere.

The completely defeated, helpless forms of Sasuke and Naruko, staring up at him and waiting to see what would happen.

They didn't matter, either.

He glanced down at Tsunade's still unconscious, prone form.

Thoughts ran amuck in his mind.

 _'I just have to try again. I just have to try again! I'll take the Senju with me, and I'll figure out what the hell I'm supposed to do! This can't be it; it can't be!'_

Kane's eyes snapped forward as a projectile flew at him.

A kunai.

He tilted his head to the side, barely even attempting a dodge as the weapon flew right passed his head. As it flew passed him, his eyes narrowed as he took in the unique shape of it. A shape he'd never seen before.

A strange, tri-shaped kunai.

Kane felt it the moment it happened. A person had appeared behind him.

Immediately, faster than ever before, he whirled around. His tendrils charged, he brought his kunai up, he reacted nearly _instantly._

 _Nearly._

Blonde hair, narrowed blue eyes...

 _But not Naruko._

A giant ball, bigger than anything Naruko had ever formed, right behind the man.

Light blue met cerulean.

 _"Rasengan!"_

And as the giant ball of blue made contact with his chest...

 _His world went dark._

* * *

End of Chapter 95


	99. Intermission 4

_Arc 4: The Pure,_ Is Officially Complete!

Sorry for the delay, I've had a migraine for the past 2 days. Haven't even been able to go to class; an excellent start to my Final semester.

First off, I'd like to thank you guys once again. We've hit over 1k reviews! That's insane, man. Seriously crazy. You guys rock! We also hit 300k words, 650 Followers, and almost 550 favorites. Still, all of that pales in comparison...

 _1,000 Reviews!_

 _Absolutely Incredible!_

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Key for Intermission 4:_

 _1st Break:_ Update Schedule

 _2nd Break:_ Arc Information

 _3rd Break:_ A _Warning_ regarding _Arc 5_

 _4th Break: Q &A_

 _5th Break:_ Shoutouts

* * *

 **Update Schedule**

Alright, I have good news and bad news. The good news is we're going to begin the next Arc _tomorrow._

Here's the bad news.

We're making some changes to the update schedule, and they're not good ones. It's just not feasible for me to update every day, 7 days a week anymore with everything I've got going on.

That being said, we're still going to keep the updates as frequent as possible.

From now on, there will be _**No Updates on Tuesdays or Thursdays.**_ I know, it sucks, but my schedule on those days goes from 8:00am - 8:00pm on average, with only a lunch break between. Sure, I could still update early morning on those days, or drive back to my place during my break, but the fact of the matter is that those days I have absolutely no time to write; meaning for every Tuesday/Thursday post, you guys come 1 chapter closer to catching up to me.

And you're not far. I've only written the first _**5**_ chapters of the next _Arc._ This is the first time since the release of the story that I've fallen below 10 chapters ahead.

There's more.

It's Football Season.

Although I plan on updating on Saturday's, I am a die-hard College Football fan and I go to _**every**_ Home Game. I went to one last saturday, and I'll be going to one this saturday as well. Not only that, but I hate missing even a single important game throughout the entire day.

I still plan on updating every Saturday, but I'm letting you guys know now that Saturday will be at risk each and every week, especially Home Game weeks. If I haven't managed to write 2 chapters one day between Sunday-Friday in order to make up for not having time to write Saturday, then I won't be updating. If I'm not going to be updating, I will try to give you guys a heads up in an _**A/N**_ inside Friday's Chapter, as well as posting a notice on the Twitter.

If it makes you guys feel better, I will be updating this Saturday despite it being a home game. I figure I can't _not_ update seeing as how I went incognito for two days because of a Migraine. I'm also posting this Intermission today, Thursday, for the same reason.

So, to recap...

 _ **Arc 5 Will Officially Begin Tomorrow**_

 _ **No Updates Tuesday/Thursday**_

 _ **Saturday's are not a guaranteed update, although I will try to update every time regardless**_

* * *

 _ **Arc Information**_

 _Arc 1: The Beginning_

 _Arc 2: The Timeskip_

 _Arc 3: The Hunt_

 _Arc 4: The Pure_

 _Arc 5: The War_

 _Arc 6: ?_

There you have it. _Arc 5_ is titled _'The War'!_ I'm sure many of you saw it coming.

I want to say just a couple of quick things about _Arc 5_ and _Arc 6._

 _Arc 5_ is **planned** to be the **longest** _Arc_ out of them all. It will encompass the majority of the War, and it will also not dive straight into the war... There is still some time before the war begins, and the first part of the Arc will be dedicated to that.

 _Arc 6_ is **planned** to be the **shortest** _Arc_ out of them all. _Arc 6_ will mostly encompass the end of the story, and obviously that means the end of the War.

Please note: Actual length of Arcs is subject to change.

* * *

 _ **Warning!**_

So, now that you guys have a good idea of what _Arc 5_ will be like, I have some more unfortunate news regarding updates.

Sometime during _Arc 5_ , updates are going to temporarily stop.

This may come as a surprise to you guys, but this has been planned from the very beginning. The reason for this is because, although the storyline is complete, there is no doubt in my mind that I need to refresh The Fourth Shinobi World War before writing about it.

I've seen the war. I know what happens. Still, I promised myself back when I first started writing the story that once I hit the war, I would go through and basically skim-read/binge-watch the war again. I don't want any mistakes, and I most certainly don't want any plotholes.

Don't worry, it won't take me weeks upon weeks to watch/read it all, even with my busy schedule. I am not going to watch/read every single thing; I'm going to pick and choose, skipping all scenes that are completely irrelevant to the story.

I suspect it will take me a week to complete this task. I've been slowly but surely rewatching the war these past several months, so I'm also not starting from the very beginning. I guestimate a week; two weeks tops, unless something crazy happens (Such as illness).

The war is still a ways off, so it's not a huge deal at the moment, but be advised that at some point you will get a "4 chapters left until we take a break!" _**A/N**_.

"You've gone from posting every day to posting as few as 4 times a week some weeks, and now you tell us we're going to take a week or two off in the _middle_ of the Arc?!"

I truly am sorry, but it's much easier to be that consistent during the summer working 2 jobs than it is during my final semester of college, working 1 job, being the Vice-President of a club, preparing for an internship, and having all of my friends back in town for school once again. Not to mention, we're rolling into the most complicated and difficult-to-write Arc in all of Naruto.

Still, I'm going to try to keep the pace at 5 chapters a week, so I ask that you bare with me.

 _ **Do you really, REALLY hate this, though?**_ Do you hate the idea of being in the _middle_ of the Arc, just for it to go on an up-to 2 week hiatus?

There's 1 other option.

Instead of beginning the _Arc_ tomorrow, we take that break _ **Right Now.**_

If we take a week - 2 week long hiatus right now, I will use that time to solidify all plans regarding the War. This means there will be no break during the middle of the Arc, but it also means that I won't be releasing Chapter 96 tomorrow; or anytime for the next week, for that matter.

I've opened a poll. I would ask you guys to go take part in the vote.

This won't be majority rules; if _**3/4,**_ that's _**75%,**_ of the voters vote to take the break immediately, then there will be no update tomorrow; I will take the next week-2 weeks preparing for the future war instead.

Even if you're not interested in taking the break immediately, I ask that you go vote precisely that. If you don't, and the majority of people who _did_ vote chose to take the break right now, you might be surprised when there's no update tomorrow.

The poll will close _**Tomorrow Morning**_ , and if it is decided that you guys wish to take the hiatus right now, then there will be no update. Otherwise, after closing the poll I will release Chapter 96, and we will begin the _Arc._

 _Recap:_

 _ **Sometime immediately before the war gets truly heated, we will take a break so that I may better prepare for it.**_

 _ **Don't like the idea of a break during the middle of the Arc? Go to my profile and vote that you'd rather take a week to 2 week long break RIGHT NOW instead, to get it out of the way.**_

* * *

 _ **Q &A**_

Just wanted to address 3 questions several people have brought to my attention.

 _1)_

"Why does Kane get distracted so damned much?"

Assuming we're referring to the final battle, you have to think about it from Kane's POV. Yes, it's raining and yes, that makes him an amazing Sensory Ninja...

But he's fighting two incredibly powerful Shinobi that require his full attention, making it easy to lose track of his surroundings.

Those ninja are Naruko and Sasuke, so there's an emotional value that also helps throw him off his game.

He's got his hands on Tsunade's blood, and that alone is a _huge_ distraction for him: How can he get it back within his grasp? Should he drink it? What will happen when he does? What will perfection feel like? Etc.

He's been having mental breakdowns for awhile; now he's having one during the middle of arguably the biggest fight of his life.

Then, to top it all off - he's _sleep deprived._

So yeah, sometimes he got caught just a little bit off guard.

 _2)_

"Why don't the clan heads/villagers feel guilty?"

Why would they? To most of them, Kane was just an eyesore they wished was gone. It's not _their_ fault he didn't hold the demon; how can you ask them to feel guilty when information was withheld from them?

That's some of the logic I would expect people like that to use. Very few people, realistically, would suddenly have an epiphany and go "oh! I'm an asshole...", most would just go "Hey, it's not _my_ fault, why not go after someone who was _really_ to blame?"

 _3)_

"Why does Minato let Danzo have so much freedom?"

If the 4th Hokage lived, and the 3rd Hokage died, do you _really_ believe the 4th would suddenly put his foot down on Danzo?

There are so many reasons why he wouldn't.

For one, if the Sandaime trusted Danzo, why shouldn't Minato? He would have no reason _not_ to trust the old man. Minato held much respect for Sarutobi, so why would he suddenly tighten down on the man's most trusted advisor?

You also must understand, Minato doesn't know the things we know. We all know about Danzo and the things he's done, because we're the viewers. Minato wouldn't have a clue when first taking office.

Okay, let's assume Minato decided "You know, I don't like not having full control, and I also don't like Danzo. I want to remove him from power." How, exactly, would he do this? Things went _so well_ when the Third ordered Danzo to disband _ROOT_... Danzo definitely didn't keep doing the exact same thing.

There are plenty of other arguments both sides could make, but in the end I believe that Danzo would remain exactly where he was if Minato lived and Sarutobi died. In fact, I could even see Danzo having _more_ power under Minato than he did under Sarutobi. Minato's a genius in every way, but Danzo is a political genius too, and I just flat out don't see Sarutobi, let alone Minato, removing him from power.

* * *

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Thanks again for the awesome feedback, and I hope you guys continue to review as amazingly as I've come to expect!

-Traydox


	100. Chapter 96

Nothing.

That was what could see, as his eyes slowly opened. Nothing but darkness.

Where was he?

He turned his head, slowly, and found the familiar glow of the Red Sea. Only then did he realize he was floating in the Blood Well.

Why was he here? He'd already purified everything...

 _He was so tired..._

Kane stared through half-lidded, blurry eyes at the source of his summoning.

There was no waterfall.

Completely silent. Were he not watching it with his own eyes; were he not able to feel the waters movement, he would have no idea it was even happening.

Slowly, a tendril of water grew from the Red Sea near him. It began rising into the air, like a snake slithering across the ground.

He wasn't the one controlling it.

 _'That... Can't be good...'_ He thought tiredly, only half conscious.

The tendril continued rising, higher and higher and closer towards the black abyss that was the sky.

 _'No... Stop...'_

Kane reached a shaking hand out towards the tendril, struggling, and willed it to fall back to the Sea.

 _ **'Drip.'**_

A single sound, signifying that the tendril was no more; returning to the Red Sea.

Kane closed his eyes, and let darkness consume him again.

* * *

 _"If he were a Jinchuriki, you wouldn't be calling for his head!"_

 _"But he's not! Why should we show him special treatment, when he isn't even a Jinchuriki?!"_

 _"I agree. Jinchuriki are special circumstances, requiring a different approach than regular ninja. Kane Sanguis is no Jinchuriki, and therefore should receive the same treatment any other Missing Ninja would get in his place."_

 _"But he was considered one for nearly sixteen years; this also warrants special treatment, if you ask me."_

 _"He harmed Lord Hokage's daughter, didn't he? I say we punish him fully."_

 _"The girl is fine, and she's a Shinobi. She knew what she was signing up for."_

 _"He won, didn't he? Kane Sanguis? He defeated Naruko Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha, or at least he would have were it not for Hokage-sama. He's powerful."_

 _"And dangerous!"_

 _"Don't forget crazy."_

 _"But he could be useful! Imagine if we convinced him to become a Konoha Shinobi again!"_

 _"I agree. It's too much to let go to waste."_

 _"He could endanger the village, or anyone around him!"_

 _"Once a Missing Ninja, always a Missing Ninja."_

 _"You didn't say that about Itachi Uchiha, when he returned!"_

 _"Itachi was never a true rogue! It's not the same!"_

 _"What about his sleights to the clans? Fugaku-sama has lost one of his eyes."_

 _"Kane Sanguis attacked my daughter; an eleven year old Genin. I would see him punished fully for his crimes against the village, and his crimes against the Hyuuga clan."_

 _"He attacked the heirs to numerous clans! He even attacked Tsunade-sama!"_

 _"If anyone has cause for retribution for Kane's crimes against them, it would be the Uchiha clan."_

 _"Place him in Root! I agree with Danzo-sama's words; let Danzo-sama indoctrinate him as a loyal Konoha Shinobi! If anyone can do it, it's him."_

 _"We've received word recently; Kane Sanguis attacked the Raikage."_

 _"I thought it was the other way around?"_

 _"Who cares? The boy was in Lightning Country! The Raikage was in the right!"_

 _"Why does this even matter? We have Kumo eating out of the palm of our hands. I say this fact, and the Raikage himself, are non-factors in this."_

 _"Kane has done a splendid job of hunting down the Akatsuki, though. I think we can all agree that this is a good thing, and the Akatsuki are an abominable organization that must be culled."_

 _"Yeah, the stupid brat definitely thinned their numbers. They're walking on eggshells now. The brat is strong; we could use that strength!"_

 _"Or, the more likely scenario, he turns it against us! Again, might I add!"_

 _"What's even stopping him from leaving again? Even if we have him put under strict watch, he'll just leave the moment he gets the chance."_

 _"So we don't give him that chance. Seems simple enough to me."_

 _"What, forever?"_

 _"No, just until he becomes loyal again."_

 _"So forever."_

 _"You don't believe there's any chance of him joining Konoha willingly?"_

 _"Of course not! The brat's childhood was terrible, we all know that. Let's not shy away from admitting it."_

 _"Is he still asleep?"_

 _"Yes. The boy has yet to awaken."_

 _"What will we do if he wakes up before we've decided what to do with him?!"_

 _"What do you mean? We'll just keep him locked up."_

 _"I think it would be best if we decide what to do with him before then."_

 _"We better decide quickly then."_

 _"Just take the damned brat's life and be done with it!"_

 _"I say we find some way to use him!"_

 _"Make him loyal again!"_

 _"Regardless of what we do, we must punish him."_

 _"What sort of punishment?"_

 _"Didn't the Uchiha Clan want to punish him for his crimes against them, Fugaku-sama?"_

 _"The Hyuuga as well now, right, Hiashi-sama?"_

 _"At this rate, every clan is going to want to punish him individually. Don't forget, he attacked several clan heirs!"_

 _"His childhood was rough, too. He may never join us willingly, so this would all be for naught."_

 _"His childhood doesn't matter."_

 _"Doesn't matter? It drove him away from the village, and we're speaking of trying to bring him back into the fold, and you say it doesn't matter?"_

 _"No, it doesn't. He had a hard life, that's a damn shame. Life is hard; it's time for him to learn that, if he still holds bitterness in his heart. The only thing that matters now is his usefulness to the village."_

 _"That's cold of you."_

 _"We cannot let the feelings of a single person, let alone that of a Missing Ninja, interfere with the ongoings of the village. We have to do what's best for Konoha, even if that makes us seem heartless."_

 _"What would the other villages think, if we were to accept him back?"_

 _"Sand and Rock wouldn't care. Cloud owes us much; I doubt they'd complain, especially right now. They still haven't finished rebuilding. And Mist? They won't say a damned thing; they were harboring the boy for years, and didn't even know it!"_

 _"So there won't be political ramifications for reinstilling him as a Shinobi?"_

 _"Not now, at least. There might be some problems down the line with Cloud and Water, but it's not important at the moment."_

 _"I'm telling you, we need to just get rid of him!"_

 _"But that's such a waste, don't you think? The boy is clearly powerful."_

 _"Yeah, and he could use that power against Konoha again."_

 _"Or it's enemies."_

 _Minato Namikaze sighed quietly to himself. For days now, this has been going on. One of the longest council meetings on a singular subject in the entirety of Minato's time in office._

 _He was getting tired of it, and resolved to end this meeting soon. Once and for all._

* * *

He closed his eyes slowly, exhaling slowly from his nose.

Minato was frustrated.

He'd gotten what he wanted. After days of constant bickering and arguing, with no end in sight, he'd finally put his foot down. It was clear they were _not_ going to come to a consensus anytime soon, so he would make the final decision and everyone would just have to accept that.

The council reluctantly agreed to his terms, and part of him wished they'd put up more of a fight.

He wasn't confident he was making the right decision.

The doors were opened before him, choruses of 'Hokage-sama!' echoing around him as he continued to walk on autopilot, lost in his thoughts.

Danzo had been _furious_ with his decision. He'd been so delighted with the words coming from Minato's mouth, right up until the very end.

Had the man really thought he was going to hand Kane Sanguis over to him?

They'd argued over it for _years_ when Kane was a child, and Minato had never relented. Why the old man thought he would suddenly change his mind was a mystery to Minato.

Then again, maybe Danzo thought Minato's opinion on Kane had changed.

Maybe he was right, too.

The final door opened, and Minato eyed the unconscious body stretched out on a bed neutrally.

Kane laid there, asleep. A single seal could be seen stretching across the boy's forehead, sealing off his Chakra. The room was dark, cold; it was clear this was a prison cell.

Four days now, Kane had rested. The thought brought a frown to Minato's face. Why wasn't he waking up? He'd been treated immediately upon returning to the village; the boy was healthy as can be.

The image of his mangled body reforming, resetting itself into place assaulted Minato's mind.

He didn't know _what_ that had been. After he'd hit Kane with the Rasengan, the boy collapsed, completely defeated.

His body, however, hadn't gotten the message.

Minato had watched as the battered and bruised form of Kane healed itself right in front of him. Within a matter of seconds, Kane's entire body healed the damage he'd dealt, completely.

It was akin to the healing capabilities of a Jinchuriki.

No, it was beyond even that.

The thought troubled him, but there was time to concern himself over that later. Right now, he needed to figure out why Kane had yet to awaken.

They'd healed the boy, taken care of him, made sure his body received the nutrients it needed to sustain itself... Hell, they hadn't even put the seal on him until day two, so Minato knew the lack of Chakra wasn't the issue either.

He just laid there, blissfully unaware of the troubles he'd caused.

Minato sighed as he stared at Kane sadly.

He'd grown, but it was clearly still Kane. Minato would recognize him anywhere. He'd recognize that little boy, so shy and timid. So easy to scare off. The one whose eyes lit up when he got a gift from himself. The one who was so happy to be given his own apartment. His own home.

The one who'd been floating in the sky, in the middle of a thunderstorm, and looked positively mad.

Minato had heard the stories. Who hadn't? He'd kept track of Kane as much as possible, and even if he hadn't he assuredly would have heard the news by now. Kane Sanguis, hunter of Akatsuki. The thought had surprised him, everytime it crossed his mind.

It didn't surprise him anymore.

It was a wake-up call, seeing Kane in that thunderstorm. He'd seen the boy in a brand new light; and it _wasn't_ pretty. No matter what he heard, Minato had always envisioned that same little boy he'd watched grow up.

Now, he truly understood how much Kane had changed.

But did he really?

Minato understood fully that Kane had changed; but did he truly understand how _much_ he'd changed?

No, he didn't.

 _"He will not be executed. He will not be imprisoned for life." Minato said, several council members grumbling._

Minato had no idea what Kane would do. What kind of person he was. How far he was willing to go.

Would he kill civilians? Would he take hostages? Would he even endanger the lives of children?

Minato didn't have an answer to these questions, and the thought made him sick.

 _"Still, he must be punished." Minato continued, the entire council nodding in agreement._

This made him doubt his decision even further. How could he go through with this, not knowing a damned thing about the unconscious boy in front of him? How could he make such a difficult decision?

 _"He must be watched constantly. We must always have eyes on him; always know where he is. Always know he is being controlled."_

Naruko and Sasuke hadn't stopped asking about him. Every morning, every afternoon, every night... They ask about him. They want to know the moment he is awake. They want to be there, when he is released.

 _"We are going to give Kane Sanguis a warden. Someone who's responsible for him. Someone tasked with keeping him under control... But more than that."_

Kane was strong. Naruko and Sasuke... They'd lost. If he hadn't shown up, Kane would have won. There was no denying it; Kane was powerful. Powerful, and very, very dangerous.

 _"We need someone to bring him back into the fold. We need someone to reeducate Kane. Someone to show him that he is wrong. Someone to turn Kane back into a loyal Konoha Shinobi." Danzo's eyes widened ever so slightly, an excited gleam shining from within._

If Kane was going to be kept under control, he'd need powerful Shinobi watching over him. He didn't want to dedicate a large force to watching Kane; he'd prefer as few ninja as possible. But how many Shinobi would truly be up to the task? Naruko and Sasuke together hadn't been enough; although it _had_ been raining, it didn't change the fact that Kane was dangerous.

 _"Someone with the strength required for keeping an S-Class Missing Ninja controlled at all times. Someone that can handle such a ninja efficiently." Danzo's eyes were practically shining, a small smile breaking through his carefully constructed mask._

He wanted to bring Kane back. If not for him, if not for the village, then for his daughter.

 _"From this day forth, Kane Sanguis' punishment, his warden, and his teacher will be overseen by the same person. The same group."_

He hoped he made the right decision.

 _"Kane Sanguis will be placed under the jurisdiction of the Uchiha Clan."_

* * *

The restaurant was abuzz, people talking and laughing loudly, workers yelling to greet newcomers, and faint music playing in the background. The building was cool in contrast to the hot weather outside, the sun shining brightly in the early afternoon.

Shikamaru stared boredly at a group several tables down, his cheek in contact with his palm and his elbow on the table. He continued eavesdropping on the conversation before letting out a tired, slightly annoyed sigh.

"Ehhh, what a drag... Even now, all anyone can talk about is Kane Sanguis." Shikamaru drawled.

"Aren't we in the same boat?" Sakura asked curiously as she took another bite of her meal.

Ino smacked Shikamaru on the arm for his poor manners, glaring at him when he gave her a curious look. With an annoyed sigh he sat up and removed his arm from the table. Chouji continued munching away, Kiba up front arguing with the manager of the restaurant about letting Akamaru inside, and Shino kept to himself as he ate quietly.

Naruko, Sasuke and Sai were there, too. The three rarely joined in on the Rookie 9 dinner or lunch dates, always busy 'bringing Kane back'. This time, though, they'd agreed to join them.

"Man, this is just typical." Shikamaru sighed, and Sakura looked at him curiously.

"What is?"

"Kane's punishment has already been decided, but the guy can't even be bothered to wake up. I know he's been doing the exact opposite of what we wanted for years now, but to go this far? What a drag..."

"I don't think he's doing it on purpose, Shikamaru." Ino said with an eyeroll.

"You think he'll ever wake up?" Sakura asked curiously as she took another bite of her food. Her eyes widened and she began choking as she noticed the harsh glares being thrown her way by Naruko and Sasuke.

"Of course he's gonna wake up!" Naruko said with anger and confidence as Sai pat Sakura's back, attempting to aid her half-heartedly.

"He'll wake up." Sasuke said simply before turning back to his food.

Kiba approached the table with a victorious smile on his face, Akamaru right behind him. He sat down with a quick greeting before immediately digging into his place. Sakura scowled at the boy as he began making a mess.

"Kiba! Manners!" She huffed.

Ino and Sakura made eye contact before performing simultaneous eye-rolls, each mouthing the word 'boys' to each other before smirking.

Kiba continued to chow down before looking up, a piece of meat sticking out of his face and his mouth full as he mumbled, "So what're we talking about?"

"Kane Sanguis." Shino said simply, and Kiba sighed in response.

"Of course we are."

"So, like, Kane's going to be given to the Uchiha clan, right? What does that mean, exactly?" Ino asked curiously, her question directed towards Sasuke.

Sasuke paused as everyone turned to look at him, all clearly interested in his answer.

"I suppose it means whatever my father decides it means." Sasuke responded blandly, a blank look on his face. Naruko scowled at him in response.

"What the hell does that mean, bastard?"

"It means I don't know, idiot."

"Didn't he help Orochimaru take your father's eye, Sasuke?" Shino asked the question calmly, though it was clear he only asked in order to bring up a point in everyone's minds.

Everyone tensed, glancing at Sasuke cautiously.

His face darkened, a small scowl appearing on his face.

"And your brother, too." Shino continued.

"Enough, Shino!" Sakura barked, and the boy fell silent at the pinkette's warning.

"My father will deal with it, as he sees fit." Sasuke responded simply.

Naruko let out a relieved sigh, and the mood lightened up once again.

"There's no point going on about this anymore. Until he wakes up, we'll just have to wait." Chouji chimed in, and everyone nodded in agreement.

The group continued eating their meal, stories, jokes and laughs flung through the air as they enjoyed the lunch together.

Still, as much as they tried to ignore it, they all felt the same anxious feeling on the uncertainty of what was to come.

* * *

"Enough."

Fugaku Uchiha's voice cut through the room, and the entirety of the Uchiha clan council fell silent.

"I will oversee this situation personally, and rest assured that I will deal with it. I will deal with punishing the boy for his sleights against our clan, and I will also ensure that Hokage-sama's faith in us was not misplaced. It is a great honor, being given control over the boy that every other clan would love to get their hands on, and we will do the Uchiha clan proud with this mission."

The murmurs of agreement and nods of approval showed Fugaku that his words rang true with many.

This wasn't the Konoha council. In the end, his word was law. It would take an internal coup to dethrone him, and he was respected. He would never lose the respect of his clansmen, and he would never lose his title as head. It would never happen.

He was no Uchiha Madara.

"Rest assured that I will see to this mission personally, and I will not allow Kane Sanguis to bring any further shame to the Uchiha clan."

* * *

He let out a low chuckle as the snake slithered up his arm.

"Such a shame. To think you've been captured by Konoha, Kane-kun."

He glanced up, a vile smirk on his face, as he stared at the open coffin in front of him.

"You know, it's funny... Even with you here, I still have no idea as to his true identity." Kabuto laughed to himself as he spoke to the corpse.

The corpse of Madara Uchiha.

"Although, I suppose it doesn't really matter now, does it? I have you, and so he'll have no choice but to listen to me... Oh, how things have changed since Orochimaru-sama died. Since I followed Kane-kun around for that short period in time. Kane-kun truly has grown powerful, compared to when I first met him. I'm surprised he got caught."

Kabuto chuckled lowly, his body shaking slightly in amusement.

"He's caused a lot of problems for everyone, including your Uchiha clan."

He tilted his head curiously as he eyed the corpse up and down, his snake-like pupil dilating slightly.

"I wonder what you would think of Kane-kun?"

He tilted his head back and laughed as the coffin slowly descended into the earth, sealed away for later use.

* * *

He opened his eyes to nothing but black. The familiar sight of the great abyss above the Red Sea.

He stood slowly, turning as he felt a small patch of water of the Red Sea begin moving.

Kane watched as, once again, a tendril of water formed. Slowly, it began rising into the air.

He didn't understand why the Blood Well kept summoning him, but then again it had been doing that ever since he lost to the Raikage.

He didn't think to much on it.

Besides, he needed to find out what the hell was going on. Why he was still alive. What happened after he...

Kane willed the tendril back into the water, and then dismissed himself from the Blood Well.

* * *

His eyes snapped open to the sight of a dark ceiling. He sat up, wondering where he was.

Kane's eyes made contact with a familiar pair of cerulean ones.

He found himself staring into the blank face of the Fourth Hokage.

Minato Namikaze.

Kane stared.

Minato stared.

Kane slowly closed his eyes, attempting to calm his nerves as he felt his heart beating erratically.

Then, he opened his eyes, a scowl forming on his face.

Minato's body tensed up slightly at the suddenly hostile look on Kane's face, and both knew in that moment.

This wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

End of Chapter 96

 _ **A/N:**_

The 5th _Arc_ has officially begun!

Thanks to everyone for voting and reviewing! The poll has been closed. In the end, it was at almost a perfect 50/50, and as stated if it was not a 75/25 vote or higher then we would begin the _Arc_. I appreciate all the support I've been receiving!

There will be a chapter tomorrow too, despite it being Saturday and a home game!


	101. Chapter 97

**_A/N:_**

Extra long chapter to make up for no update yesterday! This chapter is _just_ shy of being 2 chapters worth of content. Chapter 98 has also been made a bit larger as well. Hope this makes up for failing to update. Explanation given at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

He felt _amazing._

It was funny how good it could be. To feel normal. Kane couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this _normal._

No, that wasn't true. He could pinpoint the exact moment he'd last felt like this. It was in the Hidden Rain Village, right before his fight against Pain.

Ever since his loss to Pain, he hadn't felt the same. He'd awoken, trapped by the Akatsuki like a caged animal. Then he'd been released, and been left to deal with the strange sensations Pain's blood had imparted to him. Then he'd met his father, and he'd become determined to find out what this 'perfection' that Naibu was so obsessed over was. Then he'd died, and hadn't gotten a good nights rest ever since.

Now, he'd awoken after a four day slumber.

Kane felt calm. Collected. Composed. He felt energized, prepared for anything. His senses were on high alert, his mind processing everything as sharply as it used to.

There was only one problem...

He couldn't feel his Chakra.

"I'm glad to see you're awake, Kane-kun." Kane's eyes snapped up as he realized he'd grown lost in thought, completely disregarding the other presence within the dark, dingy cell.

The Fourth Hokage.

Kane sneered, "Lord Hokage."

Minato frowned before crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against a wall, "You've been asleep for quite awhile. We were worried that-"

"You've imprisoned me." Kane stated simply, his eyes slowly scanning the room.

"Well, it's not like there were many other options."

"You could've stayed out of my way." Kane's eyes narrowed, and Minato raised an eyebrow in response.

"You're smarter than that, Kane-kun."

The two stared at each other silently for some time, both taking on blank masks to hide their emotions from one another.

"Seeing the tail end of your battle with your teammates, it was quite... Troubling, Kane-kun."

Kane hummed in response. It was a pleasant hum, as if Minato had commented on what a nice day it was and he agreed wholeheartedly. He flexed his fingers, staring down at his hand as a small, almost unnoticeable smirk slowly formed upon his lips.

He truly felt better than he had in ages.

Kane glanced back up at Minato. The man was frowning as he eyed Kane up and down. He looked as if he were receiving payment for a mission recently completed, and the reward given was less than what was promised.

Kane's smirk widened just a smidge.

"What's wrong? You don't seem happy to see me." Kane asked as he opened his arms in a gesture that screamed 'here I am!', smirk still in place.

"And you don't seem regretful, Kane-kun." Minato responded as he continued to frown.

Kane's smile fell away.

"What do you mean?"

"Kane-kun, you attacked Naruko and Sasuke. Your teammates."

Kane scoffed as if he'd said something stupid, "They're not my teammates any longer. I'm a Missing Ninja, remember?"

Minato's frown deepened, "Do you truly not regret attacking them?"

He rolled his eyes deliberately, "I told them I was leaving, and they refused to let me. They're the ones who attacked me; I was merely defending myself."

"Is that what happened with the others, too?" He fired back, referring to Tsunade and the rest of the Rookie 9.

Kane glared but said nothing.

"Why did you do it, Kane-kun? Why did you attack your allies?"

"It's as if none of you got the memo. You, Naruko, Sasuke, Kakashi, Karin... Everyone from this stupid village! I am _not_ your ally! I'm a _Missing Ninja_. How many times am I going to be told that I'm supposed to be on your side?"

Minato opened his mouth to respond, but Kane cut him off.

"How many times must I prove that I'm on nobodies side but my own?"

Minato's mouth fell shut at that, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked thoughtful.

Disappointed, but thoughtful.

"I am sorry, Kane-kun."

Kane blinked in surprise at the unexpected apology, "Excuse me?"

Minato gave him a small, sad smile. Kane couldn't explain the emotions that smile evoked within him. He'd never seen the Fourth Hokage, the Yellow Flash of Konoha, the Strongest Ninja in the World, seem so...

Sad.

Regretful.

It made Kane feel small. This man. This man he once idolized. This man he once thought of as the only person in the world who cared about him, if only a little. This man who was the only adult figure in his life. This man who was the only person who never showed him hatred. This man who seemed at the top of the world; a living legend, gracing the populace with his presence, protection, and love.

To see this same man look so sad. To look so filled with sorrow. With regret.

To hear this man apologize to him...

It made him seem _human_.

Even when he'd felt betrayed by the Hokage. Even when he'd first learned that he was nothing but a scapegoat. Even when he'd discovered that this man would always place Naruko's life above his own... He'd never seemed real. Not to Kane. Minato Namikaze had always seemed untouchable. Almost ethereal, as if he were Kami's chosen. As if he were Kami himself, in flesh and blood.

Now, he seemed _human._

Just as he'd once thought similarly of Naruko. Just as he'd once thought similarly of Sasuke.

They were untouchables. They were the giants, and he the ant. They were perfect, loved by everyone and rightfully so. They were the prodigies.

When Kane had met them again, back inside Orochimaru's lair... He'd realized how wrong he was about them. They weren't giants. They weren't untouchable. They weren't unsurpassable.

They were just people, and Kane had been confident that he was worthy enough to stand before them.

He'd proven exactly that, just recently.

Sleep deprived, exhausted, just finished fighting off the Rookie 9 and one of the Legendary Sannin, and even outnumbered two to one...

And Kane had found them _lacking._

They weren't above him. Kane was worthy to stand against them. No, more than that... He could surpass them!

And he _had!_

Now, as Kane looked upon the sorrow-filled, regretful form of Minato Namikaze...

He realized that he was only human, too.

And that thought gave Kane more confidence than he could have ever imagined.

"What are you sorry for?" Kane asked, absolute delight coursing through him as he smirked mockingly at the living legend leaning against a wall before him.

This man was not untouchable. He was not unreachable. Just as he'd misperceived Naruko and Sasuke, Kane realized for the first time that he'd done the same thing with the Fourth Hokage.

He could surpass him, if he hadn't already, just as he'd done with Naruko and Sasuke.

"It is my fault this has happened, Kane-kun. I won't deny it. It is my fault that your childhood was so hard. No child should have to go through what you went through, and I know I am to blame for everything. I am sorry, Kane-kun. I am, truly, sincerely, sorry."

Minato spoke with such raw emotion, such pure honesty in his voice, that Kane couldn't even bring himself to taunt the man over it.

"It's fine."

Minato's eyes widened in surprise, "Kane-kun?" He asked as a way of requesting clarification.

"My childhood here sucked, but I hold no grudges about it. At least, not in the way you might think. I don't hate Konoha, I don't want revenge, and I don't hate _you_." Kane answered honestly.

Minato visibly sagged with relief as he gave Kane the smile of a man who'd just had a heavy burden lifted off his shoulders.

 _"But,"_ Kane said suddenly as his eyes narrowed, and Minato tensed up again. "Just because I don't hate anything... Don't want revenge for anything... _Doesn't_ mean that I forgive Konoha." Kane spat, and Minato gave him a calculating look.

"I see."

Kane nodded, "I would prefer, if I had my way, that both Konoha and I let bygones be bygones... And Konoha left me alone, for good."

Minato frowned, though he looked somewhat thoughtful, as if he were considering the implications of such a request. "You know Konoha cannot do that, Kane-kun. No matter what you say... Even if Konoha agreed to your terms... You will always be considered a Missing Ninja from Konoha. We cannot allow you to continue doing as you please, Kane-kun, as everything you do is a reflection on the Leaf Village. You are our responsibility, Kane-kun, despite whatever you or even Konoha may think."

Kane scowled, but kept quiet.

He knew all of this already, but it still pissed him off to know that he would always have to look over his shoulder... Always know that Konoha would be searching for him...

Well, that would be the case, at least, had he not already gotten caught.

"I am glad, however, that you hold no hatred in your heart Kane-kun." Minato continued with a small smile.

Kane glared in return.

"Hatred or no hatred, I detest this place and would rather be anywhere else."

Minato's smile fell away, "It is unfortunate to hear you say that, Kane-kun."

Kane raised an eyebrow, "And why is that?"

"Because the only reason you are alive, Kane-kun, is because Konoha wishes to bring you back as a loyal Shinobi."

Kane's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"I'm sorry?" He asked, wondering if he'd heard the man incorrectly.

Minato smiled at him, "Yes, Kane-kun. Despite everything, Konoha wants you back. Not just your old team, but all of Konoha."

Kane's eyes narrowed. Something just didn't feel right about this. "Why?"

Minato furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "Why?"

"Yeah. Why? I've been a Missing Ninja for years now, I've recently attacked Konoha's ninja, I've caused problems and made enemies with plenty of others outside of Fire Country - which can't be good for Konoha if they accept me back, and now everyone even knows I'm not a Jinchuriki! So yeah, tell me _why_ Konoha would just up and forgive me." Kane glared harshly at him as he finished listing off his points, and Minato let out a small sigh.

"First off, let me clear something up... You _will_ be punished, Kane-kun. There's no getting around that. Your punishment hasn't been fully decided yet, but make no mistake; you will have to be punished for your actions. Especially your actions against Konoha."

Kane scoffed but nodded, so Minato continued.

"As for why Konoha wants you back... I won't lie to you, Kane-kun-"

"Like how you lied my entire childhood?" Kane interrupted, and Minato frowned before choosing to ignore him and continue on.

"I won't lie to you. Konoha wants you back because you've proven yourself a very competent Shinobi."

Kane's glare fell away, his face taking on a blank look as he let out a loud 'Ah.'

"That makes sense. They want me because I'm strong. Typical Konoha." Kane sneered at the end, and Minato raised an eyebrow.

"You say that as if you aren't aware that this is how the world works. Can you name a Shinobi village that wouldn't do the very same thing, and for the very same reasons?" Minato shot back at him.

Kane said nothing to that.

Minato let out another sigh, "You may have noticed you can't use Chakra, Kane-kun."

Kane nodded as he stared at him blankly.

"I have personally placed a Chakra-suppression seal on your forehead." Minato explained, and Kane slowly reached up to rub his hand along the skin there.

He could feel it. It didn't feel like skin, but rather it felt... Almost like plastic. He also couldn't feel his fingers through his forehead, as if he were rubbing a headband instead of his own flesh.

Kane let his hand fall back to his side as he returned to staring at the Yellow Flash.

"You said you haven't decided everything about my punishment, but you obviously have some sort of plan for me. So what's going to happen now?" Kane asked. He looked away, looking anywhere but at Minato as he pretended to act uninterested in the man's answer, but failed miserably as Minato caught his frequent glances back in his direction.

"You are being placed under the jurisdiction of the Uchiha clan." Minato said flatly, and Kane's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?" He asked stupidly, and Minato nodded, confirming he'd heard correctly.

"Fugaku Uchiha and the Uchiha clan as a whole will be responsible for you, and they will decide what exactly your punishment will entail. Regardless of what is decided, at the end of all this, Konoha hopes to bring you back as a loyal Shinobi."

They expected him to come back? To become loyal again? To just... _Forgive and forget?!_

Kane may not hate Konoha, he may not want vengeance, but he will _never_ join them again!

He glared hatefully at the Hokage's words, and Minato was taken completely off-guard at his sudden intense hostility, his surprise showing on his face.

"I don't want to join this damned village, and no matter what's done to me, I'll find a way to escape at the end of all this. I will _never_ become a Shinobi here, and I will _never_ be loyal."

Minato stared at Kane as the boy continued to grit his teeth in anger, and then the blonde shook his head slowly.

"I hope you are wrong about that, Kane-kun..." He said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully, and Kane continued to glare as Minato slowly pushed off the wall and took several steps towards him.

Minato leaned down, his face darkening and a serious, threatening glare appearing on his face. Kane's glare melted away as he stared up at Minato wide-eyed, not expecting such intensity from the usually calm and happy Hokage.

"It's the only reason you're alive, after all."

Minato turned, his cape flourishing behind him as he made his way out of the cell. He never looked back, the door slamming shut behind him.

* * *

"Team Seven."

The cold voice cut through the air like a kunai, and Naruko jumped in fright at having been caught completely off guard. Naruko, Sasuke, Kakashi and Sai all turned to see a Konoha Anbu on a rooftop behind them, staring down at them through a mask.

"We are Team Seven. You have need of us?" Kakashi asked immediately, taking charge as he was the Leader and had plenty of personal experience dealing with the Anbu. He was one of them once, after all, despite Minato Namikaze's urging for him to reconsider joining.

"I have been ordered by Hokage-sama to inform your group that, soon, Kane Sanguis will be released from prison and into the custody of the Uchiha clan."

The entire group looked shocked at the news, and Kakashi nodded in response, "Understood."

The Anbu nodded once, and then shunshined away.

The four turned to face each other, unintentionally making a square as they all turned serious.

Until Naruko broke out into a wide grin, "It's time!"

Sasuke's serious look fell away as he smirked happily in return, "Yeah."

Kakashi wanted to eye-smile, and yet... He couldn't.

He'd heard from his old sensei, the Fourth Hokage himself what exactly seemed to have transpired out in the fields near Otaka Town.

Despite having successfully captured Kane... Despite him being given a second chance, placed under the control of the Uchiha clan... Despite Kane being _in_ the village... Despite this being _exactly_ what Team 7 had strived to achieve for years...

To hear that even his old sensei had been horrified but what he'd seen, by what Kane had become...

Kakashi began to doubt their chances of ever being a true team again.

Still, he couldn't tell them that. Not Naruko and Sasuke. Not now. They truly looked happy, and Kakashi knew they felt that they were finally, _finally,_ close to their goal of bringing Kane back to Team 7.

So, Kakashi gave an eye-smile, a completely fake and unreal eye-smile, as he urged the others on.

"Well, we better get moving, then!"

"Yeah! We need to be the first ones to welcome Kane back home, _ttebayo!_ " Naruko yelled as she gave a little fist-pump, and Sasuke nodded in return.

"Yeah. Let's go!"

The four began making their way towards the prison, Naruko leading the charge and Sasuke close behind her, when he made eye contact with Sai.

Naruko and Sasuke may have been fooled, but Sai wasn't so easily tricked.

"I am much better at fake smiles than you are I believe, Kakashi-san." Sai said with a fake smile, and Kakashi nearly sweat dropped.

"I'm not so sure about that..." He mumbled, as Sai's smiles were creepy at best. He'd seen Sai give a true smile, when they met Killer Bee, and it was completely different from his fake ones.

Sai continued to smile, but it softened ever so slightly.

"Do not worry, Kakashi-san. I believe Kane-kun will become a valued member of Team 7 once again at the end of all this."

Kakashi looked at the boy in surprise, "Oh? What makes you think that, Sai?"

Sai's smile became even smaller. Softer. And for the first time, Kakashi questioned if, perhaps, his smile was genuine.

"Because, Kakashi-san... Naruko and Sasuke are very good at changing people."

Kakashi glanced at where Sai was looking, and this time he gave a true eye-smile as he continued to gaze fondly at Naruko and Sasuke's backs.

"That, my beloved student, is very true."

* * *

Kane glared left and right as he continued eyeing different tendrils of red water.

He was inside the Blood Well, as it had once again called to him, and now Kane found himself glaring thoughtfully as in several different locations at the surface of the Red Sea, tendrils of water were forming without his command and slowly rising into the air.

The tendrils were of average size, and they were moving quite slowly. They were rising upwards towards the black abyss that was the sky, and Kane had no idea _why_ this was happening.

Interestingly enough, Kane noted he could control them. Despite the Chakra-Suppression Seal on his forehead in the real world, it seemed he had full control over his Chakra inside the Blood Well. Despite these tendrils forming and moving on their own, they still obeyed his will if he took control.

Strange.

Kane had never seen the Blood Well do this before. It has been doing a lot of strange things lately, such as summoning him when there was nothing to purify, Kane noted drily. He'd never seen the red water of the Red Sea do anything before. He'd never tried manipulating it, either. What was the point? There was nothing to do with it, beyond manipulate the blood falling from waterfalls from the black abyss out of the water and back where it came from. It was the entire purification process.

Now, for some reason, the water of the Red Sea was forming its own tendrils, without his permission, and the tendrils were slowly rising towards the sky. They never separated from the sea, merely growing longer and longer the higher up they got. They didn't go straight up, either, but rather slithered through the air like a snake as they slowly continued upwards.

Kane didn't let them reach the abyss. He may not understand everything about the Blood Well, but it was obvious that the abyss was _not_ truly part of the Blood Well. It was where he threw the blood that was intruding on the Blood Well. It was where he discarded that which did not belong here.

The Red Sea most definitely belonged here, so he wasn't going to be stupid enough to let the water rise up into it. That was almost certainly _not_ what he was supposed to do.

This was the third time this had happened. The two previous times, it had only been a single tendril. Now, there were numerous tendrils. He counted seven right now. It didn't concern him; they were moving quite slowly, and he was definitely under no rush at all to will them back down to the Red Sea before they reached the top. In fact, he could quite easily command them all to drop back down at the same time. It wasn't a problem.

The problem was he had no idea _why_ this was happening.

He'd stood there for Kami knows how long, pondering this strange dilemma as he continued to observe the tendrils and will those that grew close to the abyss back down to the Sea.

Kane wondered if he was asleep right now, in the real world. He had been summoned by the Blood Well, rather than summoning himself, so he wasn't actually sure if his body was sleeping or if it was simply in a temporary stasis.

When Kane would awaken several moments later, he'd come to find that his body wasn't sleeping, but rather placed in an unconscious stasis.

For now, however, Kane was futilely attempting to discern why the Blood Well continued doing this.

He was coming up with no answers, and he was wasting his time. The thought caused him to scowl, and he willed all seven tendrils to drop back into the Red Sea, and then he dismissed himself.

* * *

Minato took a sip of his drink, placing it back down on his desk as he looked back towards Fugaku Uchiha. The two were in the Hokage's office, discussing plans and the future.

"Are you sure this is the smart thing to do, Fugaku-kun?" Minato asked carefully, not entirely convinced that the Uchiha leader was making the correct call.

Fugaku nodded his head, "I am sure, Minato-kun. If the plan is to bring the boy back into the fold, he is going to need to be treated like a human being, not a prisoner."

Minato nodded in agreement but continued to frown, "Still, it could quite easily backfire. You are essentially placing Kane into an environment that will directly affect whether or not we can successfully bring Kane's loyalty back, only we will have absolutely no control over that environment."

Fugaku and Minato stared at each other quietly for a few moments, and then Fugaku spoke.

"This is true. To allow Kane Sanguis access to the village; to allow him to roam as he pleases, so long as he is with a bodyguard... It could backfire quickly. There's likely not a ninja in the world that hasn't heard of Kane, and assuredly there will be very few people within the village that _don't_ recognize the boy. We cannot control how the village will react to his presence."

Minato nodded in agreement, "Then perhaps it is best if we do not let him have much interaction with the villagers, at least until we get him a little more prepared for whatever may come."

Fugaku shook his head, "Every day that we keep the boy contained, he will be more and more likely to grow spiteful. We must not treat him as a prisoner, but rather show him that life within the Hidden Leaf Village will not be the same as it used to be. We must let him discover exactly what it would be like, to live here once again."

"And if living here once again is no different from before? If it is worse?" Minato asked sharply.

"Then what is the point in trying to make him loyal in the first place, Hokage-sama?" Fugaku asked calmly, and Minato leaned back in his chair as he looked thoughtful.

Fugaku continued, "Even if we were to somehow make him consider becoming loyal again, it will all be for nothing if he still comes to hate life within the village. We must place our hopes on the village treating him differently, and on the hopes that he comes to the conclusion that life here will not be so bad."

Minato sighed and nodded, "I agree."

"We can, of course, use those that truly care about the boy to our advantage. The more interaction he has with those such as your daughter or my son, the easier it should be to convince him."

Minato raised an eyebrow, "Which is why you've decided on this."

Fugaku nodded, "Yes. I do not believe it prudent to allow them to leave the village for any reason, even missions, but..." Fugaku trailed off, and Minato closed his eyes as he continued the man's sentence for him.

"But it would be best to immediately reinstate Kane as a Konoha Shinobi, in name only and nothing more."

Fugaku nodded as he finalized their plan.

"In order to declare him as an official member of Team Seven."

* * *

As he sat on the bed, the only thing provided within the prison cell other than a piss and shit bucket laying in the corner of the room, Kane smirked widely as he continued flexing his hands.

 _Kami,_ he felt so _good!_ It was amazing what a good night's rest and a fresh mindset could do for a person.

To think, everything he'd done since his fight with the Raikage had been done in desperation. He hadn't been getting nearly enough sleep, and if he didn't solve the problem soon he'd had no idea what could happen. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be pretty, and he'd been desperate to avoid that outcome. Desperate to find a way to _sleep._

He still didn't know why he'd been unable to sleep. Why the Blood Well kept summoning him, when there was nothing to purify. Why his body refused to allow him to fall asleep naturally.

Now, he'd slept for Kami knows how long, but it must've been a decent amount of time. He felt refreshed, rejuvenated. He'd clearly solved his crisis of not having gotten enough sleep, at least for now.

 _At least for now._

The thought gave him pause.

The fact that he'd never figured out the problem in the first place was a big red flag in Kane's mind. What if the problem persists? He may have gotten plenty of sleep for now, but it would only take two or three days before he was right back where he started. It didn't take long for sleepless nights to begin ruining you, Kane had recently learned the hard way.

Summoning himself to the Blood Well wasn't a solution. In the real world, his body fell unconscious for the duration of his stay in the Blood Well, but it wasn't truly unconscious. It was more like a stasis, able to activate itself at a moments notice, and Kane was certain that it wasn't giving him any sleep whatsoever. He'd need to be dismissed by the Blood Well itself, sending him into a coma, if he wanted his body to actually gain the benefits provided with sleeping.

He had a temporary solution, at least... Drink someone's blood. The more people who's blood he drank at the same time, the better. That caused more waterfalls to appear in the blood well, and a longer post-purification coma as a result.

But he was trapped. He was stuck here, in Konoha. A prisoner. Getting his hands on blood, even impure blood, was not exactly an easy thing to do when you were a prisoner. Even if he managed to do so, he always wanted to fight when he became bloodlusted. Konoha would not allow him to do something like that, and even if he managed to do it anyway, it was only a _temporary_ solution. He couldn't keep drinking blood everytime he needed to sleep! Besides, Konoha might say enough is enough and take his life if he caused any trouble...

Clearly, he needed to escape Konoha if he wanted to rely on his temporary solution. This was definitely easier said than done; even if he figured out a surefire way to escape, he'd need to do it _soon._ Like he'd realized earlier, it would only take two or three days before not sleeping began causing him problems...

Maybe he'd get lucky, and the problem had solved itself at this point. He _had_ purified his blood in the Blood Well for the first time since he'd been unable to sleep, and he'd also _truly_ slept for the first time since then, too!

But, if the problem _wasn't_ gone, he'd need to figure out a way to solve it. And soon, too. Right now, all he had to go on was that drinking enough blood to force his body to have to purify the Blood Well, leading to a temporary coma, was the only way to temporarily get some much needed sleep.

 _Temporarily._

Also, he wasn't sure if it would work the same anymore... Kane recalled that he'd done something. Something amazing! He'd figured out how to dismiss himself from the Blood Well! Perhaps, this also meant he wouldn't be forced into a coma whenever he drank blood!

For the first time, though, that could actually be a _bad_ thing. He might very well _need_ to be sent into a coma, in order to get some sleep! The only reason it happened this time was because the Fourth Hokage knocked him out, so the coma persisted. What if that meant he'd have to be knocked out by someone everytime? That _wasn't_ helpful. If he _did_ manage to control his bloodlust, he still doubted his enraged mindset would allow someone to knock him out. This meant he'd have to have somebody nearby that was either prepared to knock him out immediately, or strong enough to do so regardless of his enhanced strength.

Neither options sounded promising.

There were so many unanswered questions. So many problems. All these complications, and it was all for a _temporary_ solution to a huge problem... This _wasn't_ good enough! He needed to figure out something else!

He didn't _want_ a temporary solution. He wanted a permanent one!

Oh!

 _OH!_

That's right! He knew what he needed to do to fix his problem! That was why he'd been so desperate, so quick to make the reckless decision to start attacking Konoha Shinobi in Fire Country! He just needed to find the thing Naibu sought after, and he'd almost certainly figure out how to be able to sleep again!

 _Perfection._

That same perfection Naibu sought. That same perfection that Kane was convinced the entirety of the Sanguis clan were searching for, they just weren't aware of it. That same perfection Kane swears he'd had a taste of, that night he's convinced that _he_ summoned that tornado...

Surely, if he could just find that perfection, then all his problems would be solved!

How was he supposed to-

Wait.

The perfect; no, the _purest_ blood. That's right! That's what he was supposed to be doing! How could he have forgotten?! It was what he'd been searching for, even before his fight with the Raikage! Even before his problems with being unable to sleep! He just needed to find the purest blood!

No.

He didn't need to find it.

He'd already found it!

 _Tsunade Senju!_ How could he have forgotten?! It was her blood that was purest, it was-

It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over Kane's entire body, leaving him shaking and quivering.

Everything came back to him. He hadn't truly forgotten, he just... Hadn't thought about it.

Those last thoughts he'd had, right before the Fourth Hokage took him down. When he'd somehow been floating in the sky, power and rage coursing through him as Naruko and Sasuke could be seen kneeling on the ground below him, completely at his mercy, mere ants at the mercy of the raging thunderstorm above.

Tsunade's Senju blood was the purest. Kane refused to believe anything could be better... It was her. It was _her!_

So why had her blood not done anything for him?

A simple power boost. True, it was greater than anything he'd ever felt before, but...

It was _temporary._

That couldn't be right! What he was searching for, it was supposed to be more than that! How could it be _perfect,_ if it was _flawed?!_

Kane's good mood completely evaporated as he realized exactly where he found himself within this complicated situation.

He'd found the purest blood, and it _wasn't enough._

 _'You'll never find perfection!'_

As Naibu's words echoed in his head, Kane felt completely, utterly, defeated.

The door opened with a loud shriek, and Kane glanced up to see the Fourth Hokage enter the cell. The man stepped to the side slightly, and Kane's eyes widened marginally in surprise as Fugaku Uchiha stepped through as well. The two elite Shinobi stood side by side as they watched Kane carefully to see his reaction.

Kane's eyes immediately honed in on the bandages wrapped around the spot that was supposed to be Fugaku's right eye, the bandages completely covering the empty socket from view.

"I'm sure you remember Fugaku-kun, Kane-kun." Minato said simply, and Kane tore his eyes away from the bandages to make proper eye contact with the Uchiha Patriarchs left eye.

"I suppose the name does ring a few bells." Kane said simply, his tone clearly conveying disrespect towards the man in front of him.

Fugaku didn't react, his stare completely blank as he looked down at the still perched Sanguis.

"Turn around, Kane-kun." Minato ordered, and Kane's eyes snapped to meet cerulean. He scowled in response to being commanded like that, but before he could respond Minato gave a small, disarming smile. Clearly, the man realized what was going through his head, because he immediately continued on with a respectful, "Please. So that we may leave here as soon as possible."

Kane continued scowling, but turned around, placing his back to the two men. It's not like he had much of a choice, in the end.

Minato walked up to stand behind him. The Hokage proceeded to grab Kane's shirt and begin lifting it up, revealing the bare skin of his back to the icy air of the prison. Kane felt the impact of the cold hitting his back immediately, but refused to allow his body to shiver.

He would not show weakness in front of these two.

"What are you doing?" Kane asked with a glare as he glanced over his shoulder, and Minato proceeded to place his right hand flat against Kane's back, leaving it there for several seconds before removing it entirely and allowing Kane's shirt to fall back down. Kane felt relief at the instant warmth the shirt covering him again provided, but continued to glare regardless.

Minato then held his right hand up in front of his face, making a single hand sign and muttering _"Release!"_

Kane's eyes widened as he felt it immediately. His Chakra! He could feel it again! He rubbed the skin of his forehead and was surprised to no longer feel the rough, plastic-like feeling of the seal on his forehead.

"I've removed the Chakra Repressing Seal from your body, Kane-kun. You are now free to use Chakra again as you please." Minato answered his question, and Kane's eyes widened in surprise.

Then they narrowed.

Slowly, Kane stood up, glaring at the two men standing before him dangerously.

To think the man would be so _stupid!_ Kane may not know much about Minato Namikaze's skills, or how strong the man truly was, but he knew the man was praised for his _speed._

There were few who could keep up with Kane, and he was confident even the Raikage would have been unable to even _dream_ he could keep up with him if he got his hands on Senju blood again.

He didn't know what, exactly, the Hokage had done to get behind him so quickly, but Kane knew it had something to do with that strange kunai he threw. Now that he was aware of them, Kane was certain he'd figured out a key component to why people seemed to claim this man was even faster than the Raikage.

What were the odds, truly, that the Yellow Flash could manage to keep up with Kane if he got his hands on Tsunade again? All he needed to do was find Tsunade again...

And Kane was certain the man would fall before him.

"You sure that was the best move, _Hokage-sama?_ " Kane spat the title like it was bile, and Minato took several large step backwards to come to a stop beside Fugaku again.

Minato gave him a disarming smile, and suddenly Kane felt his confidence waver. That look Minato gave him... It was the look an adult might give to a small child threatening to beat them up.

"I have placed one of my seals on your back, Kane-kun."

Kane's eyes widened as he glanced over his shoulder, a futile and stupid attempt at looking at the shirt-covered skin on his back.

"Should you step out of line," Minato continued, a serious look crossing his face as Kane returned his gaze to the man, "I will put a stop to you. Please make this easier on everyone, Kane-kun, and be reasonable and listen to Fugaku-kun. He is responsible for you, and if you start causing trouble, I will step in and deal with you myself."

Minato leaned forward slightly, and suddenly Kane felt a small shiver of fear roll up his spine.

" _Don't_ make me do that, Kane-kun."

* * *

End of Chapter 97

 _ **A/N:**_

Sorry for the delay everybody! I overslept and was unable to upload the chapter before leaving yesterday, and after the game (Which sucked since we got blown out at home...) we all needed a pick-me-up and decided to go to a party some ways out of town. I've been nursing a hangover all day, and was only just now able to get a ride home since I didn't have my car.

To those who have PMed me, I have work I need to complete by midnight. I will go through PM's and respond accordingly once I have completed my assignments.

As I'm sure some of you have noticed, this chapter is very long. This is done intentionally to make up for no chapter yesterday; no content was added, but instead I have combined Chapter 98 and 97 into one chapter. Well, parts of Chapter 98 that is. Other parts of chapter 98 have been added to chapter 99 (Which will now be chapter 98).

This has been done to make up for no update yesterday, when I explicitly said there would be one. Hope this makes up for it!

Next chapter will be out tomorrow morning.

-Traydox


	102. Chapter 98

How long has it been?

He wasn't sure, but it's been a very long time. Far longer than he anticipated, and with each day he found himself growing more and more antsy.

Still, he would remain, waiting until the time finally came.

He didn't understand why this was so necessary, but then again he'd never claimed to understand half of the orders he followed anyway. He didn't really care why; if he was told it was necessary, then he would follow his orders until the bitter end.

He would do _anything_ if it benefited the organization. If it benefited his _family._

Perhaps that was too strong a word. He knew there were many who placed a lot of weight behind that word, and he knew that he most certainly didn't value it in the same way. He didn't care about people, or his relationship with them.

What he cared about was his _purpose._

He wanted a reason for doing the things he did. He wanted a purpose. Not only that, but he wanted to know that he was fighting for something. That he was making a difference. That he _mattered._

So he waited. Waited for the time to come.

But had the time come and gone? Had he lost his chance? Ruined his moment? Missed his shot? He didn't think so, but in the back of his mind he worried. Worried if, perhaps, he should have made his move that day.

He couldn't see, but he knew. The battle had been amazing, truly a sight to behold! A battle so grande, so glorious, that he may very well have been out of his league, had he joined in the fun! Such a glorious day!

The day that Pain fell before Naruko Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha.

Maybe he should have helped; should have revealed himself. Aided Pain somehow.

The Nine Tails and the Eight Tails, together... True victory was within their grasp, if they could just capture them both.

But, no. He'd decided to keep quiet, and wait. Madara never told him to aid Pain, he told him to spy.

So spy he would.

And wait he would.

From within the legendary blade Samehada, Kisame Hoshigaki closed his eyes, letting sleep consume him once more.

* * *

The doors opened and Kane flinched, shielding his eyes from the penetrating glare of sunlight shining on his face. Even though he couldn't have been awake for more than half a day, his eyes had grown used to the darkness in the cell.

As his eyes adjusted and it became easier to see, Kane realized that both Minato and Fugaku had come to a stop behind him. At first, Kane believed it was because they were giving him time to get used to the sun.

His vision returned to him, and Kane realized that had not been the case.

He stared, his surprise most likely displayed on his face for the world to see, at the sight in front of him.

Naruko, Sasuke, Kakashi and some boy he didn't know were standing there, watching him.

Kane schooled his features into a blank mask as he stared right back.

Naruko began taking a step forward, and then hesitated as his eyes made contact with her own. She suddenly looked unsure of herself, as if she'd forgotten what to say, and slowly she brought her leg back and stood rigid next to the others. After another moment of staring, she looked away, still looking completely unsure of herself.

Kane just stared.

Kakashi let out a loud cough and Kane's eyes snapped to the white haired man. Kakashi took several steps forward, and then clasped Kane on the shoulder in a friendly manner. He gave Kane an eye-smile as Kane continued to give the man a blank look.

"It's good to see you again, Kane-kun."

Kane said nothing.

Kakashi's smile disappeared and he gently removed his hand from Kane's shoulder. Sasuke took a few steps forward, his hands in his pockets as he gave Kane a blank look as well.

The two stared, neither saying a word, until finally Sasuke grunted.

"Not gonna say anything, Dead Last?"

Sasuke noticed a glint appear in Kane's eyes at the nickname, but couldn't tell what exactly it meant.

Still, Kane said nothing.

Naruko took in a shaky breath before practically leaping forward, landing between Kakashi and Sasuke as she gave Kane a huge smile.

Everyone around could tell it was forced.

"Kane! I'm glad you're awake!" She yelled, forced cheer in her voice, and Kane raised a single eyebrow in response. The girl's mood dropped as he didn't respond to her, either.

The four continued to stand there awkwardly for several moments until Kane finally glared.

"Why are you here?" He asked, as if they were interrupting him from something important.

Naruko flinched slightly as Sasuke scowled, then the boy spoke up, "We're here to welcome you back to the village, Dead Last. We've been waiting on you to wake up, and wanted to be the first ones to see you when you were released."

"Why?"

The question Kane asked was so simple, and yet the rest of Team 7 suddenly found they could find no proper answer to his question. That one word held more weight than any of them wanted to admit.

"Because... Because... You..." Naruko trailed off before biting her lip, unsure how to respond.

"Because you are their teammate, correct?" The boy Kane didn't know spoke up as he stepped forward, and Kane glared harshly at the man for interfering. "It is not unreasonable for teammates to welcome each other home, am I right?" The boy continued as he gave Kane what was an obviously fake smile.

"Who the hell are you?" Kane snapped, but Sai's smile didn't falter.

Probably because it wasn't real.

"My name is Sai, and I have been holding your position on the team in your absence. I have heard much about you, Kane-kun." Sai introduced himself.

Kane sneered, "My replacement?" His eyes snapped to the other three, and anger was easily discernible in his eyes, "You mean to tell me you three have been trying to bring me back this whole time, and you have a _replacement?"_

Naruko began frantically trying to explain that it wasn't like that; nobody could replace Kane!

Sasuke frowned. He hadn't expected Kane to get _jealous,_ of all things.

Kakashi smiled. If Kane's reaction was anything to go by, then perhaps he cared for them more than he let on. There was still hope.

Kane continue scowling, ignoring the girl's cries, "If you have a replacement, you don't need _me_ , so why do you keep bothering me?"

Naruko closed her mouth, the words dying on her lips, as Sasuke's face darkened and Kakashi's smile washed away.

Clearly, they'd misunderstood.

He wasn't upset they'd found a replacement. He wanted them to _stop_ trying to bring him back, and was even more annoyed they'd continued to do so when it hadn't been required of them to continue functioning as a complete team.

The group continued to stand there in silence, Kane growing more annoyed with each passing second.

He turned to look at Minato and Fugaku who were still standing behind him, "Can we get a move on?" He asked impatiently, and Minato glanced at his daughter for a moment before giving Kane a curt nod.

"There's no need for me to stay around; Fugaku-kun can handle things from here. Team Seven, I need to see you in my office, so let's get going."

Kane didn't so much as glance at them; he turned and walked off in the direction of the Uchiha compound, Fugaku remaining right behind him. The Uchiha Patriarch glanced at his son for a moment, but the boy's eyes never left Kane.

Team 7 watched Kane's retreating figure, all the way until he and Fugaku turned a corner and disappeared from their sight.

* * *

The energy had flipped a complete one eighty.

"This is so great! Now we'll definitely get that stick out of his ass!" Naruko cheered as Sasuke smirked. "You know, bastard, Kane might actually be trying to compete for your title of bastard!" Naruko crowed cheekily as Sasuke's smirk fell away and he scowled at the blonde.

"Shutup, idiot."

Naruko laughed, "Relax, bastard, you know I'm only joking! Noone could ever take that title from you."

Kakashi chuckled as Sasuke's eye twitched in irritation.

Minato cleared his throat, and the group turned to face the man as he sat behind his desk.

"As I was saying, Kane-kun will be placed back onto Team Seven. Your squad will be suspended from taking on any missions until I have personally removed the suspension. You may think of it like a vacation, if you wish, as I am not placing any requirements on you either. Your team may decide when to meet, if at all, what to do, when to train... Anything you want to do is up to you, Kakashi." Minato droned on, and Kakashi nodded.

"Understood."

"Obviously, I don't need to tell you guys that the purpose of this is because of Kane. Despite my words, I fully expect the three of you to put forth your best effort towards changing Kane."

"No worries, we've totally got this, ttebayo!" Naruko cheered, "Right, bastard?!" She turned to Sasuke with a wide grin, but froze at the serious look on his face.

"What do you mean, we _three?"_ Sasuke asked.

Minato crossed his hands in front of his face as everyone turned to stare at Sai, then turned back to the Hokage.

"Sai, your mission is complete. You are to return to Root."

The mood dropped immediately.

"What?! Dad, you can't be serious!" Naruko cried, and Minato shook his head.

"I am very serious. Sai is a Root member, and therefore it is his responsibility to return to the organization and receive orders from Danzo."

"What?! No! Sai's part of Team Seven, now! He's one of us! You can't just-"

"Naruko." Kakashi cut the girl off, a sad but hard look in his eye, "Root is no different from Anbu. So long as Sai is considered part of the organization, he must follow the rules."

Sasuke scowled as Naruko looked devastated, "But-"

"It's alright." Sai's voice cut through the room, and Naruko whirled around to face him.

"What?! No it's not! You can't be serious!" Naruko argued childishly, and Sai gave her a fake smile in return.

"It is my duty to report to Danzo-sama. I shall fulfill my task as expected of me."

"But Sai! Don't you care about us, even a little?! You've been with us for so long! Don't we mean anything to you? Do you really want to leave us behind?"

Sai's smile grew smaller and smaller with every word the girl spoke, until eventually a tiny, gentle smile remained.

"I have enjoyed my time on this team." Sai said, honesty clear in his voice.

"Then why-"

"Team Seven has helped me grow. It has taught me much." Sai cut the girl off, and everyone stared at the boy for a while as he seemed to be lost in thought.

Finally, Sai continued, "I was in desperate need of assistance. I needed to be shown what friendship truly meant. What it meant to have bonds, to care about someone other than yourself. Team Seven helped me learn, and I will treasure my experience with you all for the rest of my life."

Then, to everyone's surprise, even Minato, Sai let loose a huge, _true_ smile. A smile so wide it threatened to split his face. A smile that surpassed even the one he gave when meeting Killer Bee.

"Now, it is Kane's turn to receive Team Seven's assistance. I know you all can teach him, just as you've taught me. I expect you to give it your all!"

The room was quiet for several moment, until Naruko slowly walked up and clasped her hand on his shoulder.

"We will, Sai. We'll break through to Kane. It's a promise, ttebayo!"

Sai's smile threatened to grow even wider.

* * *

"You will be staying with me, in my home. It will be easier to keep an eye on you there."

The two had entered the Uchiha compound, and Kane noticed the looks being thrown his way. Clearly, the entire clan was fully aware of his situation, and the threatening glares each person was giving him spoke volumes. The entire clan was in on this, and he'd find no allies amongst any of the Uchiha.

They would prove themselves to bring honor to the Uchiha clan, and keep the S-Class Missing Ninja locked up nice and tight.

Kane scoffed and Fugaku turned to raise an eyebrow at the boy.

"Our last encounter didn't turn out favorably for you, did it, Fugaku?" Kane said mockingly. He realized after he'd spoken that it was the first time he'd ever said the man's name, and for some reason it felt strange to actually say it.

Fugaku didn't give his words any reaction, merely turning around and continuing to lead the way as Kane scowled at having been ignored.

"As I said, you have been placed on Team Seven." Fugaku continued his monologue.

His head was still rolling at those words.

Was this real?

Kami, none of this shit felt real.

How was it that less than a week ago, he was a Missing Ninja attacking Konoha Shinobi? Now he was here, with Fugaku Uchiha of all people, being told he'd live in Konoha and was being placed right back onto Team 7.

There was no way this wasn't a dream.

Maybe he was still in a coma.

"Tomorrow you have the day to yourself. You may walk the village, as well as the Uchiha compound itself, but you may not exit the gates. Should you attempt to run, there will be consequences."

Kane rolled his eyes at that.

How long did they honestly expect this to work? He'd find a way to escape, eventually. He was confident in that. For Kami's sake, he'd managed to run away as a twelve year old Genin... There was no way they'd keep him locked up now.

He wasn't that same little boy anymore.

"We have arrived." Fugaku drawled, and Kane looked on curiously at what would be his official 'home'.

So this was where Sasuke grew up.

He blinked, suddenly realizing that this meant that he'd be living with Sasuke, too.

Kane wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"It is getting late, so we are turning in for the night. I will show you to your room. You may wander the house, but you are not to leave it for the night." Fugaku continued on, Kane only half listening.

He wondered what Sasuke's mom was like.

...

 _He wondered if they knew he was responsible for Itachi Uchiha's death._

* * *

He couldn't sleep.

Kane continued observing the seal on his back through the mirror. It's not like he had very much else to do, seeing as how sleep eluded him.

The Hokage said he'd stop him personally if he caused trouble, and this seal was clearly the way he'd go about doing that. What did this seal do?

Kane didn't know, but he definitely didn't want it on his body.

It was a seal, so surely there was a way to remove it... Hell, he could just cut his skin off to get rid of it if he had no other choice.

But, surely the Hokage was aware of this, right? Aware that Kane could just find a way to remove the seal? Kane had no doubts that the Fourth Hokage was fully aware of this. You didn't become a Kage by being foolish.

He flopped down onto the mattress as he glared up at the ceiling. He was certain the Hokage would be alerted the moment he removed the seal, somehow. So what was he supposed to do?

Simple. He'd need to escape Konoha somehow without alerting the Hokage, and _then_ he'd remove it. Until then, he'd just have to deal with having it on his back.

Kane sighed as he relaxed, closing his eyes as he grew further lost within his own mind.

None of this felt real. It all felt like a dream.

Getting captured, being released, being back in Konoha...

Part of Kane had always believed that he would never step foot in this village again.

Now, here he was.

 _'They want me to become a Konoha Shinobi again...'_

Kane let a scowl overtake his features at the thought. He'd abandoned this place for a reason! He had no intention of ever pledging himself to this place again, and for them to think he would was stupid.

They'd even placed him back on _Team 7_...

No, he wasn't going to get roped back into being used by this horrid place. He wouldn't be a tool for someone else's benefit. Not anymore. He fought for himself, and only himself. His goals, and only his goals. Damn Konoha, and anyone else who stood between him and his ambition.

What was his ambition, though? What were his goals now?

 _Perfection..._

It seemed unreachable. There was no point trying to attain that perfection; he'd failed to find it, even after getting his hands on the last Senju's blood. It was hopeless, and it was time to move on.

The thought that perhaps he'd been wrong crossed his mind, and he squashed the idea like an insect with his shoe. Tsunade Senju was the purest blood in the world; he refused to accept that he might have been wrong. He _wasn't._

Funny, how he found more and more similarities between himself and Naibu Sanguis.

Naibu had been certain, _certain,_ that Kane was the one who would bring him perfection. Kane had thought the man pathetic, a disappointment when compared to all the rumors and stories he'd heard about the man's genius. To Kane, he'd seemed like nothing more than a psychopath with an obsession over something that didn't even exist.

He wondered if that's how others had seen him, too. When he'd been traveling the nations, hunting clansmen.

Naibu had been certain the purest blood was a Sanguis. Kane had been certain it was a clan member from a prestigious clan.

What if he'd been wrong, just like Naibu?

... What if Naibu had been _right?_

No, Naibu was not the one he needed. The Sanguis were no more pure than clans such as the Nara or Inuzuka. Perhaps even less. There was no way Naibu would have been the one he was searching for; he was too impure.

This entire thing was tiring to Kane now. This whole purity nonsense. That's what it was, right? That's what he would've called it, if you'd asked him about it before his fight with Pain?

How quickly he'd grown obsessed over something he'd once found stupid.

Tsunade Senju was the purest blood, and her blood hadn't been enough. Perhaps the one he needed no longer walked the earth. Perhaps he'd been destined to fail from the very beginning.

Regardless, he was done with it.

Screw blood purity. If he'd never grown obsessed with it, he'd have never fought the Raikage. He'd have never had all these issues with sleeping. He'd have never been captured by Konoha.

Kane resolved, then and there, to give up on this farce that was perfection.

So what now?

Now, he had no goal. Nothing he was striving for, beyond his survival. No Akatsuki to hunt, no pure blood to seek out, no... No _nothing._

The same question he'd been asked over and over again in the past. 'What will you do when you defeat the Akatsuki?'

He never had a proper answer. The solution to that question had fallen right into his lap, courtesy of Pain; find the Purest Blood.

Now, he'd have to come up with his own answer.

Something he'd failed to do in the past.

Now that he'd lost his goal, lost his purpose in life...

What would he do now?

His face darkened in dread as he realized, once again, he had no answer.

* * *

He hadn't slept. Not even for a single minute, had sleep come to him.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

 _'It looks like my problem hasn't gone away.'_ Kane thought bitterly.

He wasn't sure what to do, both about the problem as well as what to do now that it was morning and he was still inside the Uchiha compound.

Either way, he wasn't going to sit here and do nothing.

He slid the door open to find Fugaku sitting on the floor, his legs crossed as he meditated. The man's eyes opened slowly, and Kane glared at him as he stood up and approached.

"I see you're awake."

Kane wanted to sneer and comment at what an excellent observer he was, but kept quiet instead.

"Tomorrow, you will be meeting with your team for the first time. Today, you may do as you please. You may wander the village, stay here, explore the Uchiha compound... Do as you like. Just don't leave the village, and be back before the sun sets." Fugaku spoke calmly, as if he fully expected Kane's compliance.

Rather than respond to the man, Kane turned on his heel and began walking away.

"One more thing." Fugaku's voice stopped him in his tracks, and Kane glared over his shoulder at the man. "You must always be escorted by an Uchiha, and it must be one of the few that I have personally chosen to keep an eye on you." Fugaku explained, and Kane scoffed.

"Fine. Where's my escort, then?"

Fugaku motioned behind Kane, and Kane faced forward again.

His eyes widened as he found a person standing several feet away from him, a blank mask on the man's face.

Of all the people in the world, Kane never thought he'd see _him_ here!

 _He was supposed_ to be _dead!_

"It's been a while, Kane-kun."

Kane's face darkened as he realized escaping from his escort wouldn't be as easy as he'd thought. Perhaps Konoha really did have ninja capable of keeping him in line.

For the first time in what felt like ages, Kane found himself staring into the calm, sharp eyes of Itachi Uchiha.

* * *

End of Chapter 98

 _ **A/N:**_

I need to give you guys a heads up.

Hurricane Florence is going to hit my location, and it's going to hit hard. Anything could happen to interfere with updates these next few days, such as losing power. Just letting you know.

Don't forget, tomorrow is Tuesday so there won't be an update.

See you Wednesday!

-Traydox


	103. Chapter 99

"Did you hear?"

The tall, extremely muscular man grunted as he looked down towards his companion; his fellow prisoner, "Hear what?"

"They say he's dead!" The other prisoner continued whispering, as if what he was speaking was blasphemous.

"Who?" The man grunted again, not caring at all who heard him.

"Orochimaru!"

 _That_ got his attention. He leaned down and dropped his voice low as well, "What?!"

"Yeah! There are rumors going around that nobody has received orders from him in a very long time."

"So? He rarely gives direct orders." The bigger man responded, doubt clear in his voice.

"Yeah, but recently Kabuto Yakushi, his right hand man, has gone silent as well! They think they might both be dead!" His companion whispered with a large grin, excitement and a sick sort of thrill shining in his eyes.

"That's impossible. Nobody could defeat Orochimaru."

"I'm telling you, he's dead! You gotta believe me!"

"Why? You said it yourself; it's just a rumor." He huffed.

"Yeah, but if we get enough people to start believing in the rumor, _and_ it just so happens to be true... We could start a riot, and finally escape this hellhole!"

He leaned back, shaking his head vehemently, "No. I won't be apart of this. You idiots can go get yourselves punished by Orochimaru when he turns up to cull the rioters. I'm not getting involved."

He turned and stormed off, angry at even the implication that Orochimaru could be dead. They were fools; they would be locked up here for the rest of their lives, forced to serve Orochimaru.

Nobody could kill the snake Sannin.

Right?

* * *

He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes locking onto the dark ones of the man behind him. He scowled as the man kept his face completely emotionless, turning to face forward once again as they continued to walk the Uchiha compound.

Kane had no real destination in mind. He was simply exploring; he'd never actually been in the Uchiha compound before, never in his life. It was all new to him, and that made it different. Different in a good way. Different in a 'this doesn't feel like Konoha' sort of way.

Everywhere they went, clan members turned to glare at him. It wasn't unbridled hatred, but rather unspoken threats. There was no rage, no malevolence. They were warning him.

Step out of line, and the entire clan would strike him down.

Itachi hadn't spoken a word since they departed, choosing instead to follow him silently. A watchful eye, an unspoken threat, a constant vigilance.

Finally, Kane grew tired of it.

"How are you still alive?" He asked, not even bothering to turn around to speak to the man.

"You expected me to not be?" Itachi asked instead of answering, and Kane sneered even though Itachi couldn't see it.

"I expected you to be dead."

"From your virus, you mean?"

Kane's mouth closed shut at that, and the short-lived conversation died.

* * *

"You're stalling."

Kane glanced behind himself and his eyes narrowed as Itachi slowly walked forward to stop by his side.

"Stalling?" Kane asked.

"You're wandering the Uchiha compound. You're going to have to leave the compound and see the village at some point, Kane-kun."

"Says who?"

"Says the Hokage." Itachi said simply, and Kane raised an eyebrow.

"I don't recall him saying anything of the like."

"Perhaps not, but tomorrow you are to meet with your team at Training Ground Three. You'll have to walk through the village to reach there."

Itachi stared at him, then leaned forward slightly, "Or do you plan to sneak your way passed the village?"

Kane scowled at that, "I'm not going to sneak passed anything! I'm not a coward."

Itachi raised a delicate eyebrow at that, "Then why are you running away at this very moment?"

The two stared at each other, Kane glaring as Itachi waited calmly, an expectant look on his face.

"Tch, fine then. Let's leave the Uchiha compound. There's something I want to do anyway."

* * *

Everywhere he went, people stopped to stare.

To Kane's surprise, the looks were not exactly what he'd expected. They were, but they weren't.

He'd expected perhaps he'd be greeted with scorn. Hatred. Rage. Perhaps fear, indecision and indecisiveness, confusion and interest... Hell, he'd even thought perhaps he'd be greeted with regret. Regret over their past misdeeds towards him.

What he _hadn't_ expected, was all of the above.

Every person was different. Some looked at him with rage, some spat the words 'traitor' towards him, which he ignored. One person even whispered something about him being a 'demon scapegoat', which he supposed was true.

Some looked guilty, as if they wanted to apologize to him then and there for whatever the hell it was they'd done, if only to soothe their own guilty conscious. Others looked away, refusing to meet his eyes, as if pretending he didn't exist would make him go away.

Some looked afraid, as if he'd lash out at any moment. Some even ran when they saw him.

There were even those that looked intrigued by him. As if he were a puzzle that had yet to be solved, and they were quite interested to attempt to solve it themselves, if not watch the process as somebody else did it instead.

To his surprise, Kane hated those looks the most.

He hated them more than the looks of hatred. The angry ones, the ones that still blamed him, he was used to that. It was what he'd always known here, in this village. It was what he'd always expected.

It was what he _wanted._

Kane realized he _wanted_ them to hate him. He wanted them to validify his choices, everything he's done. Prove him right; that he'd made the right choice leaving. That there was nothing for him here.

The ones that looked at him with interest were different. It was as if they saw something in him. Saw a potential powerful ally, a useful tool to the village.

He hated that, because he never wanted to become that. He never wanted to become a tool to this village that spat upon his name; to this village that caused him such grief as a child. The ones who looked at him with interest saw precisely that in him, and he hated it.

The younger ones. They didn't recognize him. They looked at him, and there was no hatred in their eyes. No remorse. No interest in him whatsoever. They were innocent, and he was just another random face to them.

He liked their reactions the most.

He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed the anonymity that came with being a Missing Ninja. Everywhere he went, people tended to recognize him these days. He hadn't been able to enjoy himself, once word of his hunt against the Akatsuki began spreading across the nations.

That same anonymity from back when he'd been on his second C-Ranked mission, and he'd been unrecognized by the entire town.

He knew he'd never have that again.

"Are you alright?" Itachi's voice came from behind him, and Kane blinked in surprise. It was the first time he'd spoken up since they entered the village, and Kane scowled in response.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Itachi nodded, but his eyes seemed to see right through him, as always. It was like he was an open book to the Uchiha prodigy.

Kane hated that.

* * *

"Dead Last."

Kane paused as he found himself running into Sasuke on the streets, Itachi still trailing close behind him. The man's presence was quickly becoming a nuisance for Kane.

His little brother's presence was no more welcome than his was.

"What do you want?" Kane asked with a bit of heat to his voice, irritated at crossing his 'teammate'.

"I didn't get to see you last night. You didn't introduce yourself to my mother, either. It's proper manners to do so, considering she's letting you stay in our home." Sasuke drawled, as if he expected Kane's compliance.

He merely scoffed, choosing not to respond.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "You know, Dead Last, I've been meaning to ask..." Sasuke trailed off, his eyes shifting side to side as if contemplating his words.

"Ask what?" Kane responded, irritation in his voice.

"Have you apologized yet?"

Kane raised an eyebrow, "Apologized for what?"

Sasuke nodded, as if Kane's response was exactly what he'd been hoping for.

"That's what I thought."

"Wh-"

 _ **'Wham!'**_

Kane fell to the ground, his eyes wide and full of shock as his hand came up to rest on his cheek.

His cheek Sasuke just finished punching.

Kane was strong; at least, he thought he was. But to fall for a sucker punch? The thought made him angry.

"That was for my father." Sasuke stated simply, his posture relaxed and his hands inside his pockets as he stared down at him.

Kane sneered in response as he lifted himself up, but he didn't get but halfway before-

 _ **'Wham!'**_

He went tumbling back down, courtesy of yet another punch from Sasuke.

Only that one hurt like hell!

His hand flew up to his face, and his eyes widened even further.

 _The bastard broke his nose!_

"And _that,_ was for my brother." Sasuke said calmly before turning on his heel and walking off.

Itachi continued frowning at his brother's back, his disapproval of Sasuke's actions clear on his face. He'd drawn quite a bit of attention to himself and Kane with that little altercation, and perhaps harming the boy in front of the villagers was not the best way to ingratiate Kane to them.

He glanced down at Kane, and his eyes widened.

Widened at the sight of Kane, gently releasing his nose, and the broken appendage fixing itself on it's own with a small _**'click!'**_ as the bones realigned themselves.

 _That_ was new.

Kane stood, his clenched fists shaking in rage as he glared hatefully at Sasuke's back.

* * *

He threw the doors, a heated glare on his face.

As he did so, he laughed to himself. He'd only ever done this once before in his life, and he'd been thrown out immediately after.

The woman at the front jumped in fright, an angry snarl coming to her face as she prepared to scold Kane for his abrupt and loud entry into the building.

Into the library.

Her glare fell away as a look of shock and fear took it's place, instantly recognizing Kane.

His glare deepened as he recognized her, too.

The librarian.

The very same librarian that has run the place for over ten years.

The very same woman who forbid him entry into the only place he'd ever called home.

All his rage at her; at this woman who denied him access to his place of respite in times of daylight. It all flooded into him so suddenly he could've sworn he saw red.

"Kane-kun." A hard voice came from right behind him, and Kane glared over his shoulder and his eyes locked onto Itachi's, the man's triple-tomoed Sharingan eyes staring at him dangerously.

Strange.

He could've sworn his virus was supposed to kill him because of those eyes.

Kane turned back to glare at the woman, who was staring at him in wide-eyed fear from her seat, but had yet to get up or move.

Had yet to forbid him entry.

Kane walked passed her, though his eyes never left her own.

She wouldn't deny him anymore.

She couldn't if she tried.

He sneered at a young ninja, most likely a Genin, and the boy scattered away in fear as Kane sat down in the spot the boy had been using. The spot closest to the front desk.

Kane didn't even have anything to read.

He just sat there, glaring hatefully at the woman as she tried to ignore him.

Hours upon hours, he sat there, Itachi frowning the entire time.

* * *

"We should have captured him again."

Tobi glanced to the side at Black Zetsu's words, "And why would we have done that?"

Zetsu fidgeted, as if uncomfortable, and Tobi's eye narrowed.

"Out with it."

"Because he's the cursed child!" White Zetsu gasped, and Tobi closed his eye in frustration.

"Not this again."

"We should've kept him away from Naruko Namikaze. You said it yourself; the girl is most likely the counterpart to the cursed child. To the one who bares the Curse of Hatred." Black Zetsu argued, and Tobi shook his head.

"I also said Kane-kun is not an Uchiha."

"Isn't he a Senju, now?" White Zetsu asked suddenly, and both Black Zetsu and Tobi fell silent.

For what felt like a decade, nobody spoke.

"Explain." Tobi ordered, his eye narrowed dangerously, and White Zetsu moaned.

"You already know this! _Come oooon..."_

"Zetsu." Tobi said, his voice low, and Black Zetsu shook his head.

"I don't know what he means."

"Come on! You guys know exactly what I mean! I brought Kane-kun back to life! I healed him!"

Tobi's eye widened in surprise, "You mean-"

"Yes! He was healed by me, and therefore he has Senju cells within his body! He's a practically a Senju, now! I mean, he can't pass down the traits or bloodline of the Senju to his children... But still! He's a Senju, now!"

The three fell into a thoughtful silence at that, before Tobi spoke up.

"As interesting as that is, why bring it up now?"

"Wellll, I was thinking..." White Zetsu trailed off, and Black Zetsu spoke up.

"Yes?"

"I was thinking about Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru?" Tobi asked curiously.

"Orochimaru was technically an Uchiha, right?"

Tobi waved him off, "Yes yes, we already know about his little body transfer. He was an Uchiha in all but name after the swap."

"You don't seem very upset about that." Black Zetsu noted, and Tobi shrugged.

"I hold no love, no pride for my clan."

"Well," White Zetsu continued, "What if the cursed child is an Uchiha; but he's not an Uchiha _yet?"_

"What do you mean?" Black Zetsu asked, confused.

"Like, Kane-kun is a Senju now, technically... What if he becomes an Uchiha later, somehow? Or someone else does the same? What if the cursed child is destined to _become_ an Uchiha, rather than be born as one?" White Zetsu cheered, as if he'd solved the riddle all by himself.

Tobi seemed genuinely thoughtful at the input.

"I hadn't considered it."

Black Zetsu observed him closely, "So what do you think?"

Tobi remained silent.

* * *

Minato sighed and shook his head.

He was _supposed_ to return to the Uchiha compound by sundown, and he'd failed to do so. It was only his second day, and he was already breaking the rules.

Still, so long as Itachi Uchiha was with him, Minato knew Kane was under control.

He hoped so, at least.

Besides, he knew Kane was at the library.

He knew how important that little detail was, too.

Minato hoped he reestablished a place of comfort within the library. It would help, having a place he felt belonged to himself. A place he could go to get away.

Minato remembered that Kane used to only go at night. Perhaps he'd have a little chat with Fugaku; maybe that sundown rule would do more harm than good, if Kane's choice of location at night would be the library.

Still, Minato couldn't help but frown.

Kane had gone to the library during broad daylight.

That couldn't be a good thing.

 _'I hope you have your eye on him, Itachi-kun.'_

* * *

She wouldn't look his direction.

She'd have to soon, though, and both she and Kane knew it.

"Kane-kun, the library is closing." Itachi's voice came from behind him, the man having stood there like a statue for hours on end.

"I know." Kane said, his glare still stuck to his face as he watched the librarian walk around and tell people it was time to go home.

Everyone except him.

Finally, the last person left, other than Kane and Itachi, and the woman turned to stare at Kane, her face blank.

"The library is closed."

Kane's glare darkened, "So throw me out."

The woman stared at him for what felt like hours before finally tearing her gaze away to look pleadingly at Itachi.

Itachi gave her a curt nod, and the woman quickly fled.

Kane's glare fell away for the first time since he'd walked into the building, and the boy began rubbing his cheeks and forehead as he found his muscles to be extremely sore.

"That was very petty of you, Kane-kun." Itachi's silky voice cut through the silent building, and Kane glared at the man before wincing and relaxing his features.

"Don't care." He said simply, and Itachi just stared at him.

"The library is now closed. We should head back to the Uchiha compound, and return home. Mother should have finished cooking dinner by now, and we will undoubtedly be scolded for being late."

"Don't care." Kane repeated himself as he stood up and began walking towards the back of the library, towards the books.

Itachi's frown deepened as he followed, "I must insist, Kane-kun. You were supposed to return before sundown; the only reason I did not push you was because you seemed... Determined to prove a point."

Kane waved him off, "We'll go back after I find something."

Itachi fell silent as he continued watching Kane, and the boy slowly perused different books and scrolls.

His fingers stilled as they came across a familiar title.

 _'A-Ranked Water Ninjutsu'_

He stood there for several moments, lost in memory.

Then he moved on.

Kane grabbed a different book and turned to Itachi, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, let's get going."

* * *

As he gazed up at the stars, the half-crescent moon in the middle of the sky, his thoughts continued to roll through his mind.

Tomorrow, he'd be meeting with Team 7.

The first time since before the Chunin Exams, all those years ago...

Things weren't the same. Did they think they would go back to being the same? Did Naruko, Sasuke, and even Kakashi truly think that?

It wouldn't.

Kane wasn't the same person anymore, and he didn't want to go back to begin with.

He'd never belonged here.

He still didn't.

Kane shook his head, willing the thoughts to abandon his mind. They weren't helpful. Not right now.

Not when he was trying to focus.

Kane continued reading the book opened and laying on the grass in front of him, his eyes scanning the contents when his eye twitched ever so slightly at an almost unnoticeable rustling in a nearby tree.

Couldn't they have at least gotten a more skilled Uchiha to keep an eye on him?

He should at least try to be as skilled as the other two watching him.

Kane smirked slightly at that. He wondered just how many parties must be interested in him to have so many different spies watching him.

One of the Uchiha, of course.

One of the Anbu from the Hokage, perhaps?

Then who was the last spy?

The thought left him as quickly as it appeared. He didn't care.

What he _did_ care about was the book in front of him titled _'A-Ranked Wind Ninjutsu'_. He'd put everything he had into learning his Wind Ninjutsu. Into mastering his secondary nature.

It's not like he had anything better to do.

After all...

He still couldn't sleep.

 _'And tomorrow I meet my old team.'_

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

End of Chapter 99

 _ **A/N:**_

Chapter is a bit on the shorter side, and with the last two being longer than usual that probably makes it feel even shorter than it would have.

Hurricane is supposed to hit tomorrow night, but it should be fine, and next update will be out on Friday.

 _100! Chapter 100!_ We'll have officially hit _100 Chapters!_ (Excluding Intermissions).

Crazy, isn't it?

-Traydox


	104. Chapter 100

Minato frowned thoughtfully at the piece of paper in his hands.

It was far too early for this... Why was he here again?

Oh, right... He'd wanted to check up on Kane, but didn't want to _Hiraishin_ to him out of the blue. What if he was asleep? Or worse... What if he _wasn't_ asleep? It was far too early to deal with the ticking time bomb that was Kane Sanguis. Minato was definitely too tired for that.

Imagine if the boy had been washing himself! _That_ would have been awkward! Or imagine if he'd come across a private moment... Or, worst of all, imagine if he'd been eating breakfast with Fugaku's family, and he'd suddenly appeared in front of them. Although the startled looks on the Uchiha families faces would've been hilarious, his interruption would _not_ have gone over well with the Uchiha Matriarch. Mikoto would've killed him!

He smirked at the thought.

Minato liked Mikoto very much. To this day Jiraiya-sensei still grumbled about how 'unfair' it was that someone as 'grumpy' and 'cold' as Fugaku Uchiha could snag a woman like Mikoto. The woman was usually calm and loving, quiet and composed. Quite the opposite of his little spitfire Kushina. 'Sweet as candy', were Jiraiya-sensei's words regarding Mikoto.

But when she grew angry, the woman was fierce. She never yelled or raised her voice. Instead, her voice would grow low, quiet... Threatening. It was the complete opposite of Kushina, and Minato found he enjoyed 'accidentally' riling the woman up every now and then for that exact reason.

She was the opposite of Kushina, and seeing her angry always brought back fond memories of his wife to Minato. He always enjoyed watching the angry Mikoto Uchiha, even when she was angry at himself, because it reminded him of times when he'd see both Mikoto and Kushina angry at the same person, at the same time. Watching those two tag-team it was terrifying, and Jiraiya-sensei still spoke of having nightmares that _almost_ rivaled the ones Tsunade evoked in the man.

Mikoto Uchiha was Kushina Uzumaki's dearest and closest friend, and sometimes it felt like speaking to Mikoto was like speaking to a part of Kushina, as if he were sharing something special with Kushina. Honoring her memory by being friends with the woman. Seeing Mikoto in her rare moments of anger always brought a smile to Minato's face.

After he escaped, of course.

Minato blinked as his thoughts cleared.

He'd gotten way off track!

Minato glanced back down at the missive in his hands, fully prepared to reread the entire thing in an attempt to better understand it, when he paused as something caught his attention. Minato glanced at the window and raised an eyebrow, dropping the missive and letting it gently fall back onto the desk as he crossed his hands and waited.

Moments later, the window opened, and Jiraiya of the Sannin stuck his feet into the office and plopped his rear down onto the windowsill.

"What are you doing here, Jiraiya-sensei?" Minato asked curiously.

"I could ask you the same question." Jiraiya fired back as he stretched.

Minato sighed before picking the missive back up. He began reading it half-heartedly as he responded, "I was just making sure everything was alright."

"With the kid, you mean?" Jiraiya asked seriously, and Minato locked eyes with his old sensei. The two stared at each other in tense silence, neither looking away as unspoken messages only they would understand seemed to be relayed between them.

"Yeah." Minato broke eye contact as he went back to reading.

Jiraiya kicked his feet like a child as he dug through his backpack. The white haired Sannin looked like a child pulling out a toy to play with and pass the time, waiting on a parent to finish their work.

Minato smirked at the thought, and Jiraiya noticed and narrowed his eyes.

"What're you smirking at, kid?"

"Nothing, sensei."

Jiraiya stared at him for a few moments before shrugging, "So, anything interesting happen as of late? Not regarding the kid, of course."

Minato frowned as his attention returned to the paper in his hand, "Well... Yes and no."

Jiraiya sighed, sounding exhausted, "It's something that has to do with the damned brat again, isn't it?"

Minato nodded as he continued frowning, his eyes dashing left and right across the paper.

"The Kazekage heard about our... Situation, with Kane-kun."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, "So? What would he care about that?"

"Well, the Kazekage happens to be good friends with your goddaughter, if you'll recall."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, apparently, that means he has interest in Kane-kun as well."

Jiraiya's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "I don't follow."

Minato sighed as he let the paper fall back to the desk once again, "Neither do I."

"Quit hopping around the subject and spit it out already, kid." Jiraiya ordered.

"The Kazekage has inquired about Kane-kun... Apparently, he wants to know what, exactly, we're doing with Kane-kun, as well as future plans regarding him."

"Why?" Jiraiya asked, flabbergasted.

Minato shrugged, "It's not like it matters. I'd be happy to tell him whatever he wanted to know regarding Kane-kun. We aren't trying to keep this a secret; we want Kane-kun to be removed from the Bingo Books by the end of all this, and that means other villages will know he's rejoined us."

Jiraiya sighed, "So what's the problem?"

"The Kazekage has informed me that, apparently, whenever he manages to get a week or so off from his duties in the near future, he is going to come to Konoha for a 'Diplomatic Visit'."

Jiraiya looked surprised, then he scoffed in disbelief, "'Diplomatic Visit'? Our relations with Suna are better than any other country other than Kumo..." Jiraiya trailed off, a strange and almost uncomfortable look on his face, and Minato couldn't help but agree with the man.

The thought of being on great terms with Kumo was... Strange.

"... And you went to visit him not too long ago. There's no real purpose for him to come here, at least not diplomatically... It's just an excuse."

Minato nodded in agreement, "You're right. He's not coming here for anything other than strictly personal reasons."

Jiraiya frowned again, "So what could be so important about the kid that the Kazekage feels the need to come see him personally?"

Minato frowned and picked up the, intentionally worded politically correct, missive from Sabaku no Gaara.

"I don't know."

* * *

Has he been amenable?

Has he been easily controlled? Uncharacteristically acting docile? Allowed them to manipulate him? Been far too submissive? Shown weakness, displayed cowardice, behaved obediently?

Maybe he had.

The thought sent white-hot fury coursing through Kane's veins.

He didn't even want to _be here,_ so the last thing he wanted was to make keeping him under control _easy_ for Konoha, so the possibility that perhaps he'd been very compliable to his prisoners caused him to grit his teeth as he seethed.

Or maybe those were just his tired thoughts, controlling him through his erratic emotions.

Emotions he needed to _get a grip_ on.

The thought calmed him, but he could still feel a slight bubble of irritation that refused to leave him.

Kane glanced up, his red-rimmed eyes slightly bloodshot due to lack of sleep. Reality came back to him, not in an intruding way, but almost softly as he realized he was still in the backyard of Fugaku Uchiha's home. He was sitting on the grass, the A-Ranked Wind Ninjutsu book still sprawled out in front of him and his rear resting on the back of his numb legs as his knees made contact with the ground.

He blinked tiredly as he noticed for the first time that the sun had recently risen, a soft warmth from a small ray of light heating up his right cheek and down the right side of his body as the tree in front of him shadowed the rest from it's glare. He closed his eyes, enjoying the small pleasure of the warmth as he grew lost in thought.

Kane remembered how, after meeting his father, he'd decided he wanted to be like him.

No, that sounded wrong. Kane wanted to be absolutely _nothing_ like his father. He didn't _want_ to be weak. He didn't _want_ to be obsessed with a dying clan, whose traditions were barbaric and disgusting. He didn't _want_ to be the type of person that would force their own little sister into marriage, with the intention of producing a gifted child.

But, there was no denying; Braenaru Sanguis was _strong._

Not strong in the traditional sense. His father was undoubtedly weaker than Naibu; undoubtedly weaker than _himself._

But his father had taught him a valuable lesson; there was more to _true strength_ than simply being a strong ninja.

Kane had felt so small, facing his father. The fact that he'd been shorter than the man, while annoying, had nothing to do with it. He had _felt_ small. Kane had felt like a child, spitting out nonsense and ignorant words to a man much wiser than himself. A man who knew the truth of the world, and was simply listening with condescension as the child before him continued to throw a tantrum.

That's how Kane _always_ felt, when facing men like his father. Men like the Raikage. Men like _Itachi._

Braenaru, even when facing the son he'd never met... Even when facing an opponent much more powerful than himself... Even when nothing more than a _corpse..._

He'd been able to order Kane around.

Braenaru had held _control_ over Kane, and he'd wielded it as if he'd been doing so for Kane's entire life. He'd made Kane feel small; pathetic. Weak, out of control, and stupid.

He'd made him feel _ignorant._

Kane _hated_ that Braenaru could make him feel that way. Could make him feel like a child who knew nothing. Like a brat, throwing a temper tantrum. No matter what, he'd only ever gotten one _single_ reaction out of the man, and that was after threatening to allow the entirety of the Sanguis clan to fade away into nothingness. Allow everything the man had devoted his entire life to improving and bring glory unto, to simply _disappear._

And even then, the moment where Braenaru had allowed his emotions to reveal themselves had been brief, gone so quickly Kane may have never noticed it had he not specifically been trying to bring it out of the man.

No, he didn't want to be like Braenaru, except...

Kane wanted to have the same control over his own emotions that Braenaru had. He wanted to have that same intimidating presence. That same calm, collected feature. He wanted those who looked upon him to see a ninja that had it all figured out; that knew exactly what he was doing, and inspired those around him to follow him. Kane wanted to be _just_ like Braenaru in that regard.

Instead, Kane knew he'd done the opposite.

Other ninja didn't look at him and see someone who was calm and collected; they saw someone who had 'lost his way'. Someone who didn't know what the hell they were doing, and someone who was making _mistake after mistake._ They didn't see him like Braenaru, who Kane could tell immediately had keen insight and a sharp mind. No, when others looked at Kane, they saw someone who had _lost control._ Someone who had gone off the deep end, and had gone batshit crazy.

Kane may have had power, but Braenaru had _control._

Braenaru proved to Kane that just because you had _power_ , didn't mean you were _powerful_.

Just because you were _strong,_ didn't mean you had _true strength._

 _'You have so much strength, Kane-kun... But your strength is conditional. A ninja like you will never defeat me.'_

 _'You don't understand true strength. You're just a little boy, angry at the world, lashing out at everything he sees.'_

 _'You know nothing about what it means to be strong, boy.'_

Maybe they were right; if he couldn't even control his emotions, how could he call himself strong? How was he anything more than a child? Perhaps Orochimaru had been right about him. Perhaps his father had been right. Perhaps the _Raikage,_ had been right.

 _'Once your enemies are gone, you will have nothing.'_

Perhaps _Itachi_ had been right.

The thought made Kane scowl yet again. Of all those that he would accept as being in the right where he had been in the wrong, he would _not_ accept that _Itachi freaking Uchiha_ had been right!

He'd sooner admit to that damned Raikage being right about him.

Why? Why was he so adamantly against Itachi, who he didn't truly harbor any ill feelings towards? He hated Orochimaru. He hated his father. He would sell his soul to the reaper if it meant he could wrap his hands around that _damned Raikage's fat neck again._

Kane despised those three men...

He didn't despise Itachi Uchiha.

Itachi had proven himself formidable; Itachi could have defeated him, if he'd truly wanted to do so. Not only that, Itachi had proven himself to be different from his fellow Akatsuki members; he _wasn't_ a bad person. Even Kane would admit that.

He hadn't done anything to Kane, other than technically defeat him in combat, give him a strange lecture regarding his choices in life, and then allow him to simply _walk away._ Itachi Uchiha had done him no wrong, was not an evil person, and has even attempted to help Kane in the past. Despite his feelings, despite his distaste for the eldest son of Fugaku Uchiha, Kane realized he had no real reason to go after the guy

No real reason to feel he needed to enact any sort of retribution against him. He'd already gotten Itachi back for defeating him, after all... At least, he was pretty sure he'd gotten that infected blood inside him. Regardless, Kane found that he had no reason to feel vengeful towards Itachi, especially when compared to ninja such as Orochimaru, his father, the masked man, or even Pain...

Or that _damned Raikage._

No, Kane Sanguis did _not_ hate Itachi Uchiha.

And yet, he would sooner admit the Kage of Kumogakure had been correct when he'd called him, in the Raikage's own words, _'Ignorant'_ , before he accepted that Itachi Uchiha had been right from the beginning.

But why? Why did the simple thought that, perhaps, Itachi had made a valid point, distress him so much?

 _'There are those out there that would see the world become a better place. There are those out there that would see the world burn to the ground. I wonder, Kane-kun, which one you are.'_

Why, if Kane felt even an _inkling_ of doubt and that, maybe, Itachi's words had been the truth, did it induce such hate-fueled rage within him?

 _'You say you won't return to Konoha. You say you fight for your very life. What kind of life will you live, Kane-kun? Is a life in self-induced loneliness truly worth living?'_

Why, when Itachi had never insulted Kane's character - only his choices, did the words make him feel such bitter resentment towards the Uchiha prodigy?

 _'You say you fight to defeat your enemies, and yet, once your enemies are gone, you will have nothing. I have met others like you, Kane Sanguis, and they all end up the same way. Dead.'_

Why, when even now Kane finds that he can easily dismiss Itachi's words of 'returning to Konoha' or 'having bonds in Konoha', did Itachi's seemingly prophetic words on his fate strike such a cord within him?

 _'Once you have run out of enemies, you will have nothing... So you will find more. You will find enemy after enemy to fight, until finally, you find one you cannot vanquish.'_

Why did Itachi's words...

 _'You will die, and your life and struggles will have been meaningless.'_

Cause him such _terror?_

Kane grabbed the top of his head with both hands, his nails digging into his scalp and drawing blood, as he tilted his head back from his kneeling position, and _screamed._

It felt good, letting out all his rage. All his frustration. It was early morning, and it was almost certain that he'd spooked those around him.

 _Screw them._

Screw the three ninja that continued to watch him train. Screw the Uchiha that lived in the homes beside them, and those that just happened to be walking near the area. Screw Fugaku, screw Itachi, screw Sasuke, and screw Sasuke's mother - whom he'd still yet to meet. Screw the Hokage, screw Team 7, and _screw Konoha._

Screw them _all._

Kane took a deep, shaky breath as he got a hold of himself.

Kami, he was _so damn tired..._

He'd done it again. Let his emotions take control. This is exactly what he meant,

Kane relaxed as he blinked down at the book in front of him.

He was done with this for the day. He'd consider looking more into it in the next few days; he needed to practice and work on what he'd learned.

He'd made more progress than he'd even dreamed of, Kane thought with a small smirk. He had thought it would be different, learning Wind Ninjutsu as compared to Fire or Water, and it _was,_ but it wasn't necessarily more difficult. He found it came much more naturally to him than Fire Ninjutsu had, that was for sure. Which made sense; It was his secondary after all, whereas fire was his tertiary.

He still had a long way to go, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he'd become more proficient at Wind Ninjutsu than he was with Fire.

Kane closed his eyes.

He was _so tired._

How much longer could he keep this up, before something terrible happened?

Perhaps it would happen today.

He felt dread settle in his chest at the thought.

Kane's eyes snapped open and he shook his head, willing the troubling and complicated thoughts away as he glanced around, taking stock of his surroundings.

They hadn't moved; his little 'spectators'. His guards. His wardens.

Whatever. Let them watch him practice his Wind Ninjutsu if that's what they really wanted. He had no plans on trying to escape.

Not yet, anyway.

"Dead Last."

Kane glanced behind himself, his face a blank mask, as he found Sasuke standing there with his hands in his pockets and an annoyed look on his face.

If Sasuke heard Kane's scream, which he undoubtedly did, he didn't comment.

"It's time to get going."

Kane wanted to sneer. He wanted to show Sasuke exactly what he thought about this little 'Team Meeting' that he was required to go to.

He wanted to show Sasuke just what he thought about him breaking his nose, too.

But thoughts of Braenaru rolled through his mind, and Kane kept silent.

 _'I'll get him back for that, mark my words.'_

"Where's my Uchiha bodyguard?" Kane asked when he noticed the Uchiha who had been watching him all night take off, clearly finished with his part in the mission to 'control Kane Sanguis'.

Sasuke smirked haughtily, and Kane restrained himself from glaring at the oddly familiar and very annoying sight.

"You're looking at him."

Kane felt proud that he still managed to hold back his glare.

The two continued staring at each other, and Sasuke scoffed impatiently.

"Well? You coming or not?"

As if he had a choice.

Kane turned back around and stood up slowly, picking up the Wind Ninjutsu book as he did so. He walked towards Sasuke and proceeded to toss the book towards the house, the novel going through an open window and landing on the floor in the room with a loud _**'thunk!'**_. Kane came to a stop in front of the other boy, staring blankly.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow curiously, a bit put off by his strange behavior.

"Walk with me." He said simply, tilting his body halfway in a gesture that said the exact words he'd spoken. Sasuke had an expectant look on his face, as if he fully expected Kane to do exactly that.

Sasuke didn't look surprised in the slightest, but Kane had to struggle to prevent his own features from displaying surprise as his body moved on it's own, and the two fell in step together.

Kane realized drily that Sasuke hadn't ever asked about the blood in his hair, either.

They made their way along the path Sasuke took every time Team 7 met up at the bridge, and towards the meeting spot Kane hadn't gone to since he abandoned the village. Towards the very same bridge that Kakashi had forced the three to sit and wait for hours on end when they were Genin. When they were a team. Towards the spot where Naruko would undoubtedly already be at, waiting for them. Waiting for _him._

Kane felt himself grow slightly dizzy, and he discreetly shook his head to rid himself of the sensation without drawing Sasuke's attention.

He wondered if the dizziness was because of his lack of sleep, or if it was something else...

Kane glanced slyly at Sasuke, the other boy staring straight ahead and looking completely relaxed. No, more than that, Sasuke looked almost...

Happy.

A small voice in the back of his head questioned if, perhaps, Sasuke's good mood was because of _him._

He aggressively crushed the thought into dust.

It didn't matter anyway.

* * *

End of Chapter 100

Here's the tl;dr of the **_A/N_** below for those who want it:

 _ **tl;dr**_ \- I'm back, all is well, I lost power because of Hurricane Florence, _we hit 100 chapters!,_ **_A/N_** 's are going to become less frequent and shorter(No more need for tl;dr), I haven't decided if we will be doing make-up days, _probably_ no update tomorrow since it's Tuesday but it's not set in stone, and there is a _chance_ that there will not be updates this upcoming weekend but it _also_ is not set in stone.

Thanks for your time!

-Traydox

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_

 _ **I'm back!** _

_We've officially hit **100 Chapters!**_

How absolutely crazy is that?! Thanks for coming along for the ride everyone!

First off, let me say; this was a slow chapter, I know. It was mostly just giving more insight into Kane's mind. I know some of you might be disappointed for me to come back only for the chapter to be so slow, but don't worry; we're going to pick up the pace.

Also, just wanted to say I've enjoyed every review for chapter 99, but in particular I wanted to give a quick shout out to the review-conversation between Draco(Guest) and BigBlimpin! It's interesting to see the 2 opposite sides both bring up valid points, and I enjoyed seeing your differing point of views. It has been both my intention as well as my _hope_ that the story would have grey-areas such as that, and I'm happy to see I succeeded on some fronts! I think it makes the story much better when there's enough grey-area to cause people to have completely different opinions from one another. I would have just PMed both of you telling you I enjoyed the discussion, but you can't PM guests.

 _ **Now, onto why I've gone dark the past several days, for those who want to know...**_

Hurricane Florence caused me to lose power, and my phone was already low when it happened so I was forced to use it sparingly, until it died that is. These past few days have been dreadful. It's insane that I lost power, too, because at my location we had some heavy rain and a bit of wind, but it wasn't anything crazy. It took them so long to turn our power back on because so many people lost power; I heard that _hundreds of thousands_ lost power in North Carolina...

Anyway, quick update for you guys.

All is well with me, sorry for worrying so many of you! School resumed for me today, and tomorrow is Tuesday so even though we just got back there will be no chapter. It's going to be way too hectic for me to do a make-up chapter tomorrow.

There is a _chance,_ depending on how my day goes today, that I'll change my mind and do a surprise upload tomorrow; however, I don't want to get your hopes up, so we're going to plan for Wednesday.

I haven't decided what we're going to do for the missed days. Honestly, we might not even do anything. We might just accept that we missed a few days and just keep powering forward. It's something I'll think about as I get reorganized with life. Either way, for now we're going to continue on as if nothing happened; Chapter 101 will be out on Wednesday.

Another thing.

Part of the reason we might not do make-up days for those 2 days missed (Saturday doesn't count) where I had no power, is because we might end up having to do make-up days for this upcoming weekend anyway.

For over a month now I've been planning on going out of town _**this**_ upcoming weekend for an Away Game (American College Football) with my dad. Those plans are up in the air at this point, as I might not be able to go with him regardless because of all the fallout I'll be dealing with this week.

So, this weekend I don't know what will happen with updates. If I go, there will definitely be no updates until Sunday Night, possibly not even until Monday. If I don't, there will be updates this weekend.

One, **_last_** , **_short_** thing!

There have been an abundance of **_A/N_** 's lately, and some (such as this one) have been quite long. I apologize for this. I'm going to make an effort to reduce those from here on out, as even though I go back and delete them later on, I feel it makes the story less professional. I will continue to post often on the Twitter Account, and will of course include **_A/N_** 's at the end of chapters when it's very important, but you guys have better things to do with your time than read huge **_A/N_** 's from me, so I will be cutting them back again to how they were back in, for example, _Arc 3: The Hunt_. They will be short, brief, and few and far in-between.

 _ **SO,**_ this week we're going to play things by ear. I'll give you guys steady updates as to what's going on and what I decide we're going to do.

Kinda sucks that all of this is happening right after the start of the _Arc,_ doesn't it? Had I known, I would've started that week to two week long break immediately, but hindsight is 20/20, and we'll just have to try our best to get back on track.

Thanks for being so patient with me, everybody! You guys have no idea how much your feedback and support truly motivates me, and I can't thank you enough!

See you guys Wednesday!

-Traydox


	105. Chapter 101

_"Ohhh..."_

The lecherous moan followed by a short perverted giggle cut through the quiet night as a single man with spiky silver hair could be seen walking along.

Kakashi Hatake let out a quiet sigh as he continued traversing the streets of Konoha, the moon high in the sky as his trademarked orange book was propped open in one hand, his other hand tucked into his pocket. His head was dipped and his back hunched slightly, showing an image of him reading the open book as he slowly walked.

He wasn't reading his _icha icha_ , though. It was just habit, and it made people less likely to approach him and interrupt his thoughts.

Kakashi found that sleep eluded him that night, but he knew it would from the get go. Tomorrow, or rather today he supposed, Team 7 would be meeting at the bridge.

Team 7, with _Kane_ as their fourth.

The thought seemed surreal. Finally, after all this time, they'd brought Kane home; even if it wasn't how they'd wanted. He was back, and Team 7 had completed their goal of bringing him home.

Things weren't going to get any easier, though.

He knew how he would act around Kane. He knew how Naruko would act. He knew how Sasuke would act.

What he didn't know was how _Kane_ would act.

Kane was so complicated for Kakashi now. A complete stranger, whose actions and even words were foreign and unknown to him. He'd thought he'd had the boy all figured out, and then suddenly Kane had up and left the village out of the blue. Kakashi had been taken completely by surprise by the usually quiet and sometimes timid boy's actions three years ago.

The thought of him doing that had never even crossed Kakashi's mind.

It showed that he'd never truly known Kane like he'd thought he did. Shown that Kane was much more complicated than he'd first believed. Now, Kane was going to be much, _much_ more difficult to figure out.

Still, all he could do was be ready for anything.

Kane was an enigma now, but as much as that fact worried him, it wasn't the cause for his lack of sleep tonight. The cause was something simpler, and yet altogether not simple at all.

A question.

A simple question, and Kakashi found he couldn't figure out the answer to it. Couldn't decide what the proper choice was. He'd spoken to Minato-sensei yesterday, and the man had listened to his concerns and agreed that it was not an easy choice.

In the end, Minato-sensei had told him that it was _his_ choice to make.

Kakashi knew the moment his old sensei spoke the words, that he'd be getting no sleep tonight.

So, here he was, the _Copy Ninja_ of Konoha strolling along in the middle of the night, all because he couldn't make up his mind on an altogether easy and simple question.

 _'When would he go to the meeting spot in the morning?'_

It seemed so silly, that such a question could bother him so much. Would he go early, since it was Kane's first day back, or would he go later, as per his usual habits?

The question continued to bug him.

If he showed up late, as Obito taught him, it would seem familiar to Kane. It would be like nothing changed at all; Kakashi would be treating him as an accepted part of the team, not a special case. He was back, and that was that.

Wasn't that what he should want?

He didn't know.

Kane abandoned Konoha. Clearly, what was once the norm had not been something Kane appreciated. Kane wouldn't _want_ things to be the same. They needed to show Kane that things would be different this time around!

So he should show up on time, showing Kane his dedication and drive to make things different.

But what if that isolated Kane?

The worst thing they could do would be to isolate him. Kakashi strongly believed that it was what got them in this mess in the first place. So they didn't want to isolate him; they wanted him to feel like Konoha was his home. That Team 7, was his home.

Would his showing up on time, something completely out of character for himself, make Kane feel isolated? Would Kane take his early presence as a sign that Kakashi _didn't_ see him as part of the team again, but rather a special case that should be treated as such?

Kakashi didn't know.

Maybe he was overthinking things, but he didn't think so. Kane needed to be handled delicately; even the smallest of mistakes could cause everything to fall apart, and Kakashi felt that it would be the little things like this that had the most impact on the boy.

Kakashi knew he needed to make the right call.

He didn't want to mess up again.

So, he could show up late as always, and Kane might feel that Konoha hadn't changed in the slightest, isolating the boy...

Or, he could show up on time, showing that they weren't going to treat him as an ally returning home, but rather an enemy that needed to be watched, isolating the boy...

Kakashi didn't know what to do.

Funny, how such a simple question could plague his thoughts and distress him so much.

He giggled, and to an onlooker it would seem as if he had simply read a perverted passage in his little orange book, and delighted in doing so.

They would be wrong.

* * *

 _"I don't talk to either of you about anything. Anytime I have a problem, I just... bottle it up and don't say anything... I'm not... I'm not used to this. Being a part of something. Being on a team... It's new to me. I don't really..." Kane took a deep breath._

 _"I don't really know what to do." Kane admitted with a shaky breath._

 _The tears in Naruko's eyes spilled over._

 _'And here come the waterworks...' Kakashi thought to himself._

 _Naruko launched herself at Kane and hugged him tightly. Kane hesitated, but eventually built up enough courage to hug her back. Naruko suddenly launched away from him while still holding on with one arm, and wrenched Sasuke into the hug too._

 _Kakashi eye-smiled at what he was witnessing._

 _"From now on, we'll be a real team!" Naruko wailed as tears kept pouring out._

 _Kane couldn't take it anymore. He began crying too, struggling to hold in his sobs and occasionally one was let free._

 _Sasuke just sighed. "You two are idiots." But Sasuke tightened himself even deeper into the hug._

* * *

 _'From now on, we'll be a real team!'_

How wrong Naruko had been.

How wrong they'd _all_ been.

They were never a team. Not when they were assigned together, not after making those bold statements to each other, and certainly not after completing the Chunin Exams.

Maybe _they_ were. Maybe Naruko, Sasuke and Kakashi were a team.

But not Kane.

Never Kane.

No matter what Naruko, Sasuke, or Kakashi said... No matter what Karin said... No matter what the Rookie Nine said... No matter what _anybody_ said, it didn't change one simple fact.

When Kane abandoned Konoha, the thought of no longer being apart of Team 7 was the only thing that gave him any pause.

The _only_ thing.

And when he stopped to think about it?

The young, impressionable twelve year old who was still a completely fresh member of that squad; the same squad people tried to insist he was still a member of. The same young Kane that had nothing; no dreams, no true purpose in life, no knowledge of any of his heritage.

The Kane whose only desire had been to prove himself worthy of being a member of Team 7.

When _that_ Kane, stopped to think about it?

That very same Kane had come to the conclusion; he was _never_ apart of Team 7.

From the very beginning, there had never been any room for Kane. He'd been the Dead Last. Whether or not he'd actually deserved that title didn't matter anymore; it was how he was seen by his peers, and it only isolated him even further from the others.

From Naruko Namikaze, daughter of the Fourth Hokage and Rookie Of The Year, and Sasuke Uchiha, son of the Uchiha clan head and designated heir. Two prodigies, both proclaimed as his teammates. Both born of noble lineage and loved by the village simply for existing.

Kane had been just a lowly orphan, clanless and hated by the village for reasons he didn't understand and forced to shoulder the blame for things that had nothing to do with him.

Minato Namikaze, granted the title of Hokage, praised as the strongest ninja in the world and the sole reason for Konoha winning the last Great Shinobi World War. A genius among genius', a prodigy among prodigies. The man who'd earned the title _'The Yellow Flash'_ , and whose name struck fear into the hearts of those across the entire world.

This is who Naruko learned from, starting from the day she was born.

Fugaku Uchiha, leader of the world-renowned Uchiha clan, one of the three Shinobi that had his name put forth to become the Fourth Hokage alongside Orochimaru of the Sannin, declared a prodigy from a young age and skilled enough to call himself the Yellow Flash's childhood rival.

This is who Sasuke learned from, starting from the day he was born.

And Kane?

Kane had nobody.

He was self-taught, everything from the basics of being a ninja to math, literature, history, geography... Everything. His instructors at the academy intentionally sabotaged him whenever they got the chance, and the local librarian forced him to enter the building at night.

His first sensei taught him how to climb trees.

His second sensei, the only true sensei he'd ever had, Kane had needed to flee the entire country to find, prove himself worthy, was nearly killed by on the first day he met her, and only learned from her for two short years before she was murdered in her own home.

No, he was doomed from the very beginning. Kane had never had any hope of proving himself worthy of being placed alongside Naruko and Sasuke. No matter how much he'd tried, no matter how much he'd wanted it, no matter how much he believed in himself...

He'd never had a chance.

No, there had certainly never been room for Kane Sanguis to be a member of Team 7.

If even that stupid, whiny Genin Kane had once been could see that, then why couldn't everybody else?!

As Kane and Sasuke began drawing ever closer to the bridge, Kane grew more and more anxious. His heart began thumping in his chest, beating rapidly and causing a small bead of sweat to roll down his forehead as he continued keeping his features stoic and emotionless.

Why was he feeling this way?! He wasn't a member of Team 7, he never had been, he knew this to be a true fact. So why, then did he feel so... So...

Nervous?

Deep down, he knew why, he just didn't want to admit it to himself.

But he knew.

It was because, right here, in this moment, as he and Sasuke marched along towards the bridge, both of them ignoring the looks thrown their way by those few villagers that were out and about in the early morning, Kane felt as if everything was far too...

Familiar.

This feeling of walking down the streets of Konoha in the early morning. This habit of avoiding eye contact with the villagers and ignoring the looks they gave him. This sense of deja vu he felt knowing he was going to meet with Naruko and Sasuke at the bridge, the three waiting on Kakashi to arrive...

It was all so _familiar._

It felt as if nothing changed. As if the past three years were a dream. Kane suddenly felt as if he really was back in Konoha, having never left in the first place and still apart of Team 7.

He felt like he was that twelve year old again.

 _Kane hated that._

He hated this feeling; this familiarity. He hated feeling like he was the same person from three years ago, however untrue it may be. Kane hated what he once was; how weak and pathetic he was, how ignorant he was, how he was nothing more than a tool for Konoha.

How desperate he was for Team 7's approval.

Kane _wasn't_ the same little Genin anymore, and yet as he grew closer and closer to the bridge, he certainly _felt_ the same way he'd felt as a kid.

He was nervous, and it was because he'd always felt this way.

 _'But things are different now!'_

He tried to calm his nerves, breathing in deeply and slowly through his nose, and the meditative technique surprisingly helped. He felt himself grow calmer; felt more like his normal self, rather than that twelve year old boy he left behind three years ago. Kane felt his confidence rise as suddenly, the world didn't seem so big anymore.

But for all his bravado, his heart continued to thump.

As Kane and Sasuke rounded the final corner, the bridge came into sight.

Naruko was already there, waiting. The blonde was standing in the middle of the bridge, leaning back onto the railings with one foot propped against it. Her arms were crossed and she was glaring down at the ground, clearly troubled. Kane wasn't surprised in the slightest to see her there.

What he _was_ surprised to see, was that Kakashi was there, too.

The two boys approached the bridge, Naruko's head snapping up and towards their direction as she took notice of them. She quickly pushed off from the railing and turned to face them, waving one arm unnecessarily high in the air as a huge grin took over her features.

 _"Hey guys!"_ She yelled, and Sasuke scowled in response before reaching up and digging into one ear with his pinky finger.

Kakashi merely stuck one hand up, his eye closing in his signature eye-smile as he said "Yo!"

"Do you have to be so loud this early in the morning, idiot?" Sasuke grunted, and Naruko's smile fell away as she glared angrily in response.

"Shutup, bastard!"

Sasuke turned his attention to the eldest of the group, "You're on time, Kakashi."

"Oh, am I? I hadn't noticed." Kakashi spoke with faux sincerity.

Sasuke gave the man an annoyed look of disbelief, and Naruko turned to give Kane a grin.

"Hi, Kane!" She greeted jovially.

Kane connected eyes with the girl, blue meeting blue, and said nothing. His face was completely expressionless and his eyes emotionless. He didn't glance elsewhere, his eyes staying locked onto her own; as if he were patiently waiting for the girl to explain why she had called for his attention.

Naruko's smile faltered slightly, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

Before anything else could be said, Kakashi let out a loud cough, drawing all sets of eyes to him.

"Well then, let's get going."

As Kakashi took lead, Kane held back slightly, attempting to stay at the rear.

Naruko and Sasuke shared a look with each other before nodding slightly.

Then, to Kane's annoyance, the two surrounded him on both sides, each placing a hand on a shoulder as they guided him along.

Naruko immediately began chatting away, and it took only moments for Sasuke to taunt the girl into a verbal spar, Kane caught in the middle of their jousts.

Still, he showed no emotion.

All he could think to himself was, _'Braenaru would be proud.'_

* * *

He glanced behind himself irritably.

 _'Is there a reason so many Anbu are following me?'_

Kane counted nine, but he wasn't the best sensory ninja out there. Not unless it was raining or the enemies were bleeding that is.

The sound of Naruko yelling at Sasuke again cut through his thoughts, and Kane felt annoyance bubble within his chest.

Did they think that by acting as if everything was alright in the world, he'd just go along with them?!

Kane wanted to glare at the two that had finally let him go and were now lazily standing near him, the three forming a triangle. It was so very obvious that the two were going to try to stay as close to him as possible in order to make him feel included.

He didn't _want_ to feel included.

Kakashi shunshined nearby, and the three turned to face the man.

The white haired man gave an eye-smile, "So! I was thinking about what the four of us will be doing over the days to come, and I decided I would be open to suggestions from the three of you."

Naruko's eyes lit up, "Seriously?!"

"Yes, but don't forget, we aren't allowed to take on missions at the moment."

Naruko's smile fell away as she scowled, "Then what are we supposed to do?!"

"That's what the suggestions are for!" Kakashi replied in a sing-song voice.

"If we can't perform missions then the next best thing would be training." Sasuke drawled, and Kakashi nodded.

"Right you are, Sasuke-kun. So what exactly do you propose we do?"

"Let's spar!" Naruko suddenly burst out, her fists clinched and an excited gleam in her eyes. Kakashi quickly raised both hands and gestured for the girl to calm herself.

"Easy now, Naruko. I'm talking about suggestions for the _future,_ not right now. I already know what we'll be doing today."

"Really? What are we doing?" Naruko asked slightly dejected.

Kakashi smiled again, "We'll get to that in a moment. So, back to Sasuke's suggestion of training, you three-"

"If the plan is to train..." Kane drawled before trailing off, interrupting Kakashi and causing all three to fall silent and turn to him.

"... Then I'm leaving." Kane finished, and his words drew out looks of shock even from Kakashi.

"Leave?! What the hell?! You can't just _leave,_ Kane!" Naruko argued, clearly angered by his answer.

Kane's mask fell away as he glared at the three, "I already have plenty to work on for my training. In fact, being here is interrupting exactly that."

Sasuke scowled, Naruko looked both angry and troubled, and Kakashi frowned before shaking his head.

"You can't leave, Kane-kun. You are apart of this team, and as such are required to attend team meetings."

Kane sneered, "I want nothing to do with this team."

Naruko gave him a hurt look. Sasuke's scowl deepened before he took one step forward towards him, "You're on this team whether you like it or not, Dead Last, so you'll just have to train with us."

Kane glared right back, "Why should I? I'll get more done on my own. There's nothing any of you can teach me; you'll only hold me back."

"Hold you back?! What's that supposed to mean?!" Naruko suddenly cut in, outraged.

"The three of you are _weak!_ I'm stronger than any of you, even if you fight together; or have you already forgotten how I beat the two of you?" Kane snarled.

Kane took a step towards Sasuke, closing the distance between them. He reached out with one arm, grabbing Sasuke's shirt by the collar and dragging the boy's face towards his own, their noses nearly touching. The two glared at each other heatedly for a moment before Kane spoke.

"The only reason I'm here is because I'm _forced_ to be here. You think the three of you are enough to hold me back? You're _not._ The moment I get a chance to leave this place behind, _again,_ I'll do so."

Nobody spoke, the only sound being the billowing wind brushing through the field as if in response to Kane's declaration.

"Well, that's enough of that." Kakashi's voice broke the silence as the gust of wind left them behind. Kane continued to hold Sasuke still, neither breaking each others gaze and both still glaring. Then, Kane shoved Sasuke away, the boy smoothly catching himself after only two short steps.

He turned his glare onto Kakashi, ignoring the look Naruko was giving him.

"Perhaps you should try playing a bit nicer with us, Kane-kun." Kakashi continued, and Kane looked at the man almost murderously as Kakashi returned his hate filled gaze with an eye-smile, "After all, we're on your side."

Kane opened his mouth, but Kakashi spoke before he got a chance to.

"You may not believe that, but remember; there are those that want you back, like us, and those that want you _gone."_

Kane's mouth snapped shut at the reminder that Konoha had _spared_ him.

Just like Akatsuki.

The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Kakashi clapped his hands, dispersing the tense atmosphere as he practically radiated happiness, "Well then, let's move on. We can figure out what exactly we want to do in the future when the time comes. For now, let's focus on today!"

Naruko hadn't stopped staring at Kane, and finally she tore her eyes away as she looked at Kakashi curiously, "What are we doing today, Kakashi?"

"Well, this is the first time Team 7 has been back together in a long time. So, I thought, why don't we start fresh?"

The three looked at the man in confusion as he pulled something from his back pouch, holding it up for them to see. Even Kane's eyes widened as it dawned on the three just what the white haired man had in mind. Another gust of wind rushed through the area.

Three little bells jingled in his hand.

* * *

End of Chapter 101


	106. Chapter 102

The blonde burst out in laughter, her arms winding around her stomach as she was struggling not to fall.

The three males stared at the girl in perplexion, and after several moments Naruko's laughs died down. She stood up straight, mirth in her eyes as she smirked cockily at the white haired leader.

"Kakashi, you can't be serious."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow, "And why is that?"

Naruko continued smirking as she shrugged carelessly, "Come on Kakashi! You don't seriously expect to be able to keep those bells away from all three of us at once?"

Kakashi nodded, "Ah, maybe you're right. You three will certainly be much more difficult to handle this time around." He jingled the bells in the air, "That's why this time we're going to make a few changes."

"What sort of changes?" Sasuke inquired.

Kakashi eye-smiled, "This time, there will be three bells." He jingled them again for emphasis, "There's not much point only using two; the three of you are already aware of the true meaning of this test. So, instead, I want all three of you to try to claim a bell!"

Naruko nodded, "Okay, so do you want us to come at you one at a time then? Even then, I'm not sure how long you'll last, _sensei."_ She snickered to herself as Kakashi retained his smile.

"No, I want the three of you to work together. This is all about teamwork, after all."

"What's the catch?" Sasuke demanded, quickly growing tired of the back and forth conversation.

"The catch, my cute little students, is that this time the timer is going to be much shorter. The three of you have ten minutes." Kakashi said blandly, his smile seeming to grow brighter and more joyful.

Naruko's smile fell away as both she and Sasuke grew serious. Ten minutes wasn't long when dealing with a ninja like Kakashi Hatake.

"Oh, and one more thing..." Kakashi trailed off as he slowly reached a hand up to remove his headband.

Kane's eyes widened at the sight of the man's Sharingan.

Kakashi continued to smile, eyeing the tense Naruko, the tense Sasuke...

And the relaxed Kane.

"The timer started thirty seconds ago."

Naruko and Sasuke both charged, but Kane remained standing in place, watching the three engage in combat with narrowed eyes.

He watched as Naruko's dozens upon dozens of clones attempted to overwhelm Kakashi. He watched as Sasuke's Taijutsu proved to be on par with Kakashi's. He watched as Kakashi tricked them, time and time again. Each time the two seemed to hold victory in their grasp, Kakashi managed to escape his predicament one way or another.

For nearly five minutes, Kane stood there, watching.

Maybe Naruko and Sasuke would have a better chance at retrieving those bells, if the two didn't keep glancing his direction, wondering why he was just standing there.

Who said he was going to do anything at all?

He'd never agreed to participate.

Kane remembered the first bell test. He remembered how disastrous it had gone for him. How he'd been put into the soil, and stayed there until Kakashi came back to get him.

It had been the very first sign. The very first time he'd seen the truth; that he was never going to be apart of Team 7.

The thought didn't bother him so much anymore.

Kane watched as Sasuke managed to swipe a bell, only for it to go _**'poof!'**_ alongside Kakashi himself, the real Kakashi appearing not far away and evading an attempted dogpile by a dozen Naruko's.

He watched as Naruko began throwing Rasengan's at the man over and over again. He watched as Sasuke started firing off sharp bolts of lightning. He watched as Kakashi continued to evade them, over and over again.

Naruko may not be using that strange 'Sage Mode', and Sasuke may not be using his Mangekyou Sharingan, but there was no denying Kakashi's skill.

Kane's thoughts returned to his memories of the first bell test. How humiliated he'd felt. How weak and pathetic he'd felt. How... _Beneath_ Naruko and Sasuke he felt.

Things were different now.

That was what he kept telling himself. Ever since he'd awoken in Konoha, he kept thinking 'but things are different now', and yet he'd yet to do anything to make his thoughts feel true. He may have beaten Naruko and Sasuke, but he was still captured. Were things truly different now?

He'd never agreed to participate in this stupid test, and yet...

Maybe this was his chance to prove it.

Kane's eyes widened as he saw it; the first true opening in Kakashi's defenses, as the white haired man was blocking attacks from both Naruko and Sasuke.

He didn't hesitate.

The gentle sound of tingling hit the ears of the three ninja engaged in combat, and all three froze. Kakashi glanced down at his bells, only to find they were gone.

The three turned their attention towards Kane, who was hunched over and had his back turned to them. He turned around slowly, opening his closed fist to reveal all three bells in his hand.

"All right, Kane!" Naruko suddenly cheered as the three relaxed, releasing each other from their holds.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted as he looked far less pleased than Naruko.

Kakashi held a neutral look on his face, neither approving nor disapproving of Kane's apparent victory. His eye held a calculating glint within it, as if he were attempting to decipher Kane's actions critically.

Kane stared down at the bells in his hand, irritation bubbling within at Naruko's cries of joy.

Did she think this was their victory too?

No, it was _his_ victory.

His and his alone. Just as all his victories were.

Kane had acted instinctually. When he'd seen the opening in Kakashi's defenses, he'd grasped it while it was within reach. He'd never intended to involve himself in this farce of an exercise in the first place. Konoha could force him to come to these meetings, but they couldn't force him to participate.

His victory in this bell test was the complete opposite from the first bell test. The first time, despite Naruko being the one tied to the stump, it had felt like he was the only true loser that day. He had shown no capabilities in the slightest, and he'd proven to everyone there that he was by far the weakest link.

Now, he was the strongest, and the only person to succeed today.

He glanced up at the three, and a small alarm resounded across the training field. Kakashi pulled a small alarm clock out from his pouch and turned it off.

"Although I commend you for getting the bells, you cut it quite close Kane-kun. Why did you wait so long to join your teammates?" Kakashi asked.

Kane stared.

"If there's one lesson I've learned over the years, it's that information means everything before a fight."

Thoughts of Sasori cut through his mind.

The three looked at him with interest, and Kakashi nodded before motioning for him to continue.

"The more information I have, the better. The less information they have, the better." He glanced at Naruko, then at Sasuke. "So If I have allies, it's better to let them go first and simply observe."

Naruko and Sasuke both looked shocked, and Kakashi closed his eye as if in pain.

"What?! Kane, that's not right at all! You're supposed to help your allies, not-"

"Why would I do that?" Kane interrupted.

The only ally he'd ever fought with consistently was Hidan. The man meant nothing to Kane, and he remembered simply observing Hidan fight an enemy rather than partake himself on numerous occasions, including the fight with the Eight Tails Jinchuriki.

Kane felt a small jolt of shock as he realized this was the first time he'd so much as given Hidan a second thought, ever since Akatsuki released him.

He didn't feel guilty about that.

"If my allies fight before me, I'm much more likely to survive the encounter. That's why they're my allies; because they're useful to me."

"Kane, that's... That's horrible! You can't treat your comrades that way!" Naruko yelled, and Kane scowled at the girl in response.

"If they don't want to be useful to me, then why are they helping me in the first place? For their own gain? How does that make them any better than me?"

"That's not what it's about!" Naruko snapped, glaring harshly, "It's about the bonds you make with those around you! It's about your friends; your family!"

Kane rolled his eyes, but didn't respond.

He'd heard so much shit about 'bonds' that he couldn't even bring himself to care anymore. He gently took one of the three bells in his open palm with his free hand and clenched it lightly.

"Allies are just tools to be used to your own benefit."

"No, they're not! They're your precious people! They're the most important people in the world, and they're the ones that make all the fighting worth it! They're the ones you can always count on, because you share a special bond with them!"

"The only one you can rely on is yourself." Kane fired back, and Naruko's glare deepened.

"That's _wrong._ " She denied vehemently.

"I fight for myself. I fight for my survival, and nothing else. It's the reason I've grown so strong. Nobody else matters."

Naruko continued glaring at him, but Kane didn't look away. After several seconds of tense silence, Naruko faltered, an upset and helpless look slowly replacing her glare.

Kakashi let out a quick sigh, dispersing the tense atmosphere, "Well, looks like the test is over. The three of you got the bells, even if it wasn't how I would have preferred you did it."

Kane locked eyes with Naruko, the girl glaring lightly at him.

In her eyes, Kane saw her determination. He saw how strongly she believed in the words she spoke. He saw her resolve to prove that he was wrong.

He'd show her that his will was stronger.

A quiet crunch was heard, and the three ninja stared at Kane in shock. Slowly, Kane opened his now clenched fist to reveal the shattered remains of the bells in his hand.

"Kane, wha-"

"It looks like I'm the only one who passed the test, Kakashi."

The four descended into silence as Kane held up the last bell, slowly tilting his other hand and allowing the shattered bell pieces to fall gently to the ground.

Nobody spoke for several moments, and Kane felt pleased with the looks on their faces.

"As a reward to myself for being the only one with a bell, I'm heading out early." Kane said. He turned around, heading for the exit of the training grounds as he let the final bell drop from his hand.

He felt a deep sense of satisfaction at what he'd done. Maybe now he'd finally get through to them. Maybe they'd finally leave him alone.

Kane continued on across the training grounds, heading back towards Konoha and wondering what he would do with the rest of his day.

Nobody tried to stop him.

* * *

He didn't even make it one step across the bridge before scowling, irritation destroying his good mood in an instant.

"What do you want?" Kane asked with annoyance.

Itachi raised a delicate eyebrow, "You must always have an escort, Kane-kun. I had a feeling that Sasuke might need me to step in today."

Kane couldn't help but smirk just a bit, "So you were watching us."

Itachi said nothing, but he didn't need to. Kane began crossing the bridge, passing Itachi without a second glance, and the Uchiha fell in step behind him.

After walking for half a minute, Kane glanced over his shoulder curiously.

"Not gonna comment on my actions during the team meeting?" Once again, he couldn't help but let out a smirk. The meeting had gone far better than he anticipated, in his opinion.

Itachi simply stared at him.

Kane's mirth fell away as he scowled, turning to face forward again.

For some reason, Itachi's silence bothered him more than it should have.

* * *

This hadn't gone how he'd wanted it to.

Not in the slightest.

Kakashi sighed as he watched Naruko and Sasuke spar half-heartedly, the girl's mind elsewhere and Sasuke holding back because of it.

He'd known Naruko her entire life, and she'd always been able to answer any question. No matter what happened, Naruko Namikaze always had a positive attitude and was always confident she could solve the problem. He'd never seen the girl struggle to answer to anyone. No matter what, Naruko had it all figured out, and would convince others to see things her way.

For the first time, Naruko didn't look so sure of her answer.

It seemed everytime Kane spoke, he stumped the girl. It seemed for the first time in her life, Naruko wasn't sure of her answer, and that doubt showed itself everytime Kane argued with her.

It was obvious to Kakashi that for the first time, Naruko wasn't confident her responses to Kane were the correct ones.

Kakashi shook his head at the thought.

It wasn't fair to put everything on Naruko; this was a _team_ effort, and by working together, as a _team,_ they'd bring Kane back. Kane was a testament to their failure as a team, so it was only as a team they'd fix their mistakes.

Tomorrow, they'd have another chance.

They couldn't give up. They knew this wasn't going to be easy; but they had to try. No matter what, they'd get Kane to become part of their team again.

No matter what, they just had to keep going.

Tomorrow, they'd just have to try again.

* * *

Kane stared at the building, a strange turmoil brewing within.

He continued to stand there, in the middle of the busy Konoha street. Itachi mirrored him, standing several feet behind him. Civilians continued to walk around the both of them, and Kane ignored the looks people kept shooting him everytime they realized who he was.

They'd stood there for several minutes now, and Kane continued to feel anxious. Everything had been so easy up until now... It was easy to act difficult with the Uchiha. It was easy to show hate for the librarian. It was easy to show disregard for his team.

This time, things weren't so easy, and for the first time he wasn't sure how to act.

"Hungry, Itachi?" Kane asked, not bothering to wait and see if the man answered. He walked towards the building, opened the flap, and entered.

"Welcome! We-"

The shouted greeting was interrupted by a choked gasp, and Kane locked eyes with perhaps the most difficult person in Kane's eyes.

Teuchi Ichiraku.

This was the place that helped him survive. The only shop he'd ever found that allowed him entry, and even served him food should he be able to pay for it. If it weren't for Ichiraku, Kane knew he would have continued living like a street rat, despite having an apartment.

To this day, Kane hated ramen. He avoided it if there was any other option for food. The reason for this wasn't just because he'd never liked it to begin with, but also because he'd grown so sick of the stuff after years upon years of eating nothing else.

Didn't that prove just how often this place had served him?

Didn't that prove how many times _this man,_ Teuchi Ichiraku, was there for him when nobody else was?

Shouldn't he feel grateful? Appreciative? Thankful?

And yet, it wasn't that simple.

Teuchi Ichiraku may have served him when nobody else did, but Kane hadn't forgotten. He hadn't forgotten the man's reaction, the first time Kane had come to the establishment while his daughter Ayame was working.

The ferocious hostility Teuchi had displayed towards Kane anytime his daughter was around was staggering. He was even more hateful to Kane than most of the other shop owners were, whenever his daughter was around.

And yet, Teuchi had also shown him kindness. Twice, the man gave Kane a _free_ bowl of ramen, completely unprovoked and seemingly for no real reason. They were just...

Gifts.

That made him the second person to ever give Kane a gift.

Kane could appreciate the weight behind that fact.

But Kane wasn't the same little Genin. He'd seen the real world; seen how people behave. How people act.

Giving him two free bowls of ramen over the course of many years... Giving him food when he asked and paid for it...

Those were _not_ signs of kindness. They did not make Teuchi a good person. Those were actions that were normal, _expected,_ in everyday life by almost everyone else in the world. Teuchi treating him not as a demon, but as a human being, a _person,_ shouldn't be such a huge deal. It should be _expected._

No. Kane would _not_ feel indebted to this man for that.

True, Teuchi had allowed him to eat when nobody else in the village would, but the man held no love for Kane. That much was clear. Teuchi simply...

Hated him a bit less than everybody else.

"Kane..."

Kane's eyes snapped up, wide as saucers as he stared at Teuchi in complete shock. The man was staring at him sadly, regretfully.

In all the years he'd come here. All the years he'd visited. All the years he'd dealt with the man.

Teuchi had never spoken his name before.

The realization sent him spiraling. He felt happy, hearing his name come from the lips of such a prominent figure in his life for the first time. He felt angry, realizing that this man had never once said his name because of his deep seeded hatred for him. He felt sorrow, and he didn't know why. He felt... He felt...

Overwhelmed.

He began shaking slightly, tremors wracking through his body. Kane couldn't stop, he just couldn't. It was small, unnoticeable unless one were looking right at him, but it was there.

Kane knew Itachi had entered the shop as well. He knew he'd been watching from the very beginning, and still was. Kane didn't want him to see. He didn't want Itachi to see his shaking; to see his breakdown. If he didn't get ahold of himself, he was going to fall apart. He knew this, and yet...

He just stood there, shaking, his eyes interlocked with Teuchi's own.

Kane knew Teuchi could clearly see his distress, too.

Teuchi's sad look seemed to grow even sadder.

"Why don't you come sit down, Kane? I'll get you a bowl. Your usual; of course I remember it. How could I forget? Don't worry... It's on the house."

Teuchi's voice was so gentle, as if speaking to a wounded, scared animal. The man made no sudden movements, waiting to see if Kane would accept his invitation.

Kane continued to stare at him, his trembling getting worse.

He blinked, and he felt devastated when he realized his eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

Kane didn't know how long he stood there, but Teuchi waited patiently.

Kane nodded. A small, light tip of his head, and then froze. His eyes broke away from Teuchi's, and he stared at the bar in front of him, unseeing. Several seconds passed, and he nodded again. He nodded, and nodded, and nodded, and he wasn't even sure what he was nodding for anymore.

He stepped forward, sitting down in the same seat he always sat in. As soon as he stilled, Teuchi turned around and began preparing his food.

When the food was finally placed in front of him, Kane simply stared at it. He stared at the familiar bowl of ramen placed between his arms. He stared into the bowl as if it could give him the answer he so desperately needed to a question he didn't even know.

All day, Kane sat there. Nobody who entered the shop stayed, leaving immediately upon spotting Kane's still form. Despite this, Teuchi never once complained. He never said anything at all. All day, Kane stared into the bowl, until the sun was gone and darkness set across the village. All day he sat there, until finally, it was time to go. He stood up, turned around, and walked out without saying a word.

On the bar, the bowl of ramen sat there, completely untouched.

* * *

End of Chapter 102

 _ **A/N:**_

Double update today, 103 will be out tonight.


	107. Chapter 103

Itachi Uchiha's dream was peace.

Peace for his family, peace for Konoha, peace for the world. It was his dream; the one thing he wanted to see above all else.

His dream came about because of his experiences. The Third Great Shinobi War left it's mark on Itachi, and ever since then he has dreamt of peace.

His newfound dream wasn't the only result of his experiences in the war. He also became much quieter. More recluse. Itachi found it was better to simply observe.

Kane didn't know about any of that.

All he knew, was that Itachi tended to mind his own business, save for his insistence on forgiving Konoha back when he was hunting the Akatsuki.

Which was why Kane wasn't surprised when Itachi didn't question him when he suddenly stopped, tilted his head back, rolled his eyes to the back of his head and fell unconscious while standing.

As Kane cracked his neck, irritation on his face, he completely ignored the Uchiha prodigy still shadowing him. He knew Itachi wouldn't ask why he'd suddenly fallen unconscious right in front of him, and Kane wouldn't have told him if he did.

He glared at nothing and noone as he resumed his march back to the Uchiha compound. His eyes felt heavy, his body sore and aching. He was so tired, and it was only getting worse.

Why did the Blood Well keep doing this?! Why was it not letting him sleep? Why, why, _why?!_

There was nothing to purify! Was the Blood Well sentient? Was it aware that his goal was survival, and was it punishing him for failing?!

He refused to think about this right now. There'd be plenty of time later, when Itachi Uchiha wasn't watching him like a hawk. Plenty of time to mull things over. After all...

He'd have all night.

* * *

"Oh!"

Kane froze, his eyes taking in the sight of a beautiful woman looking at him with surprise. He'd never seen this woman before. She had a petite figure and pretty face with long hair. If someone asked Kane to tell them the first thing that came to his mind when he saw this woman, he'd say the words 'pitch black'. The color of her hair.

And her eyes.

The woman smiled at him, and it was a strange smile. It was gentle, calming. Kane realized with a jolt that he recognized that smile. It was a smile he hadn't seen in years... A smile that he's never seen directed at himself. The same smile he saw on the faces of numerous women, back during his time in the orphanage.

The smile of a mother.

"You must be Kane-kun. It's nice to finally meet you!" The woman spoke, and Kane knew that he was finally meeting Mikoto Uchiha for the first time.

They _were_ in the middle of her house, after all.

Several seconds passed, and Mikoto's smile drooped slightly. Kane blinked as he realized he never responded to her question.

He dully realized that Itachi was still standing behind him, too.

"Yeah." He finally responded, blankly. Mikoto's smile grew more friendly and Kane raised an eyebrow, unsure how to respond.

He'd been disrespecting this woman for days now, never introducing himself while living in her home; and yet, she didn't seem to particularly mind.

"I hope you've found everything to your liking here."

Kane said nothing, and Mikoto blinked slightly as if she just remembered something.

"Oh! It's late; I won't keep you up. I'm sure you're tired."

Kane nodded at that. He knew sleep would elude him this night, but he wouldn't correct her. He didn't feel like wasting anymore time here.

She stepped to the side, letting him pass, and Kane walked by without a word. He made it to the end of the hall when the woman's words reached him.

"Kane-kun."

He stopped, turning around and raising an eyebrow questionably at the Uchiha matriarch.

"I do hope you'll join us for breakfast in the morning."

There was something about the way she spoke the words that immediately put Kane on edge. They seemed harmless enough; just a simple invitation, and yet Kane could detect an underlying threat in the woman's tone.

He stared at her as she smiled once more, turning her back to him and walking the opposite direction. She paused as she came across Itachi, and the boy gave her a respectable nod.

"Mother."

Kane could practically hear the love and affection in the woman's voice as she replied with a gentle, "Itachi-kun. I'm glad you're home."

Mikoto leaned up and kissed Itachi's cheek. Itachi closed his eyes, and Kane could easily discern the pleasure Itachi felt from the loving gesture. Mikoto lingered for a moment before pulling back and continuing on her way.

Kane stared at the woman's back all the way until she rounded the corner and walked out of sight.

* * *

"You've been having trouble sleeping."

Kane whirled around, his eyes wide, as he locked eyes with Itachi. His face was calm, relaxed and unreadable as always.

"What did you say?" Kane barked aggressively.

"You haven't slept since you arrived here." Itachi replied calmly, and Kane sneered at the man.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I have not brought it up because I did not wish to pry, but perhaps you should ask for assistance." Itachi replied as if he hadn't heard him.

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about." Kane snapped.

"Sleep is essential to everyone. It doesn't matter how strong you are, everyone needs sleep; even you, Kane-kun."

"How about you mind your own business?" Kane growled.

"Is this a new development, or has this problem persisted?" Itachi ignored him.

"Go away, Itachi." Kane snapped before turning around and walking away. They'd arrived at the exact hall that Itachi always left him at, and Kane knew Itachi would not follow him.

"Is this the reason you lost control and began attacking Konoha Shinobi?"

Kane froze mid-step, his eyes going wide and horror displayed on his face for all to see. Was he so easy to read?! Was he truly such an open book for the Uchiha?! He was thankful his back was to Itachi, preventing the man from seeing the emotion on his face.

Kane didn't respond to Itachi's question, resuming his walk and quickly making his way down the hall, eager to get away.

* * *

He punched the tree as he let out a low growl.

There was _nothing_ to purify. He'd traversed the Red Sea, walking and walking upon what seemed to be an endless ocean. No matter how far he went, there was no end in sight. No matter how deep he sensed, there was no bottom.

Backwards, forward, left, right, even down.

There was no end.

And there was _nothing_ to purify. Why did the Blood Well continue to call to him?!

Kane could dismiss himself now. He couldn't refuse the call, but he could dismiss himself almost immediately upon entering the Blood Well. Despite this newfound control, he couldn't prevent the damned thing from summoning him, and because of this fact he was unable to sleep.

What did it want from him?! There was nothing to purify, nothing to cleanse, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing to see, nothing to do...

 _Nothing._

His death was the cause of all of this. He had died; Kane was certain of it. He didn't know how he came back to life, but he was sure someone intervened and saved him. The only person who might know who that had been would be the Raikage.

 _Damn that man._

There was nobody in the world Kane Sanguis hated more than the Raikage.

Ever since he died, _thanks to the Raikage_ , he'd been unable to sleep. It made him question if perhaps the Blood Well truly was sentient.

Maybe the Blood Well knew of his goal to survive, and for some reason deemed it necessary to punish him for failing to do so.

Kane laughed at the absurdity of the thought. As if the Blood Well was sentient; as if it would punish him for something so trivial!

Then why was this happening?

Everything had gone so wrong since he awoke from his death. Nothing had gone his way, and the worst possible outcome seems to have found him at each and every opportunity.

He'd been unable to sleep. He'd lost his mind because of it. He'd lost control because of it. He'd been captured by Konoha because of it. And now, he was quickly losing control again.

It was a vicious cycle, doomed to repeat.

Perhaps he truly _was_ dead; perhaps he'd never awoken from his fight with the Raikage. Maybe he'd died, and this was the afterlife.

His own personal Hell.

The thought filled him with unyielding rage as he slammed his fist into the tree again.

* * *

Kane blinked, his eyes tired and heavy as he glared hatefully in the direction of the rising sun.

Did it have to be so bright?

He was still outside the Uchiha home, in the same spot he'd trained the previous night.

He hadn't trained this night. He was too tired to train, and he couldn't focus because of it. All he did was think. He paced, took out his frustration on one of the trees, and sulked.

What was he supposed to do?

His only answer was perfection. If he got his hands on Tsunade Senju's blood again, he...

He what?

He nothing.

He'd gotten ahold of the purest blood in existence. He'd controlled it, he'd drank it, he'd purified it, and he'd drank it again. Still, nothing. It was the exact same as everything else; a simple power boost that left him with no answers.

Naibu Sanguis had mixed his little sister's blood into his Blood Well. It was something Kane had considered, but even in his out-of-control state he'd held on to his morals. Even if he were to survive doing that, which Naibu was the only person to ever manage, he still refused. He would _not_ be like Naibu.

It was the only thing he hadn't done that he could think of; mix Tsunade's blood into the Red Sea. Despite this fact, Kane was confident it wasn't the answer to his problems. That time with the tornado... It was as if he'd gotten a taste of true perfection.

He'd gotten a taste, and he'd most certainly never mixed any blood into his Blood Well. If that were the case, then the answer must lye elsewhere. If he could get a taste of perfection without mixing the blood into the Red Sea, then mixing the blood probably had nothing to do with it at all.

He wasn't completely convinced of his answer, but it didn't matter. He refused to be like Naibu.

He was similar to Naibu in a lot of ways... He imitated Naibu's actions in a lot of ways...

But mixing blood into the Blood Well was the one thing that truly separated the two of them, and he refused to ever cross that threshold because of it.

Kane glared at the sun one more time before standing up. It was still quite early; breakfast wouldn't even begin for another half hour. He'd never attended one, but Itachi and Sasuke had both told him when to be there plenty of times by now.

Mikoto's... _Invitation_ , from last night came back to him.

Kane sneered at the grass, as if it was responsible for the memory.

It may have seemed like a friendly invitation, but Kane wasn't stupid. He knew the woman was making a demand of him.

Did she think he'd obey?

Lately, Kane had to do a lot of things he didn't want to. He had to stay in Konoha. He had to live with the Uchiha. He had to be escorted everywhere. He had to meet with Team 7. He had to be pacifist. He had to, he had to, he _had to._

Kane wasn't used to being ordered around. Ever since Yuka-sensei's death, he'd done whatever the hell he wanted, whenever the hell he wanted to do it. He was the pilot of his own life, and every decision, good or bad, was his to make. Even when he had a 'team' of Karin, Hidan and Kabuto, he'd been the boss. It didn't matter what any of them said; he did whatever _he_ wanted to do.

Now, things weren't that way.

He had to listen to Konoha. He had to listen to Minato Namikaze. He had to listen to Fugaku Uchiha. He had to listen to Itachi Uchiha. He had to listen to Team 7.

But he did _not_ have to listen to the Uchiha Matriarch's order to join them for breakfast.

Kane remembered yesterday there had been a whole bunch of Anbu watching him when he was with Team 7. He realized now that the reason for that had been because Kakashi must have told the Hokage he wanted to do the Bell Test, and they thought it safer to have more people guarding Kane when he was being allowed to engage in combat.

Now, it was back down to just three.

Kane glanced towards the trees, directly at where the Uchiha guard was watching him.

Last night, the guard had hidden in the same spot and had the same mannerisms. It was obviously the same one. Last night, Kane recalled him leaving the moment Sasuke showed up. That must've been quite boring; watching Kane practice Wind Ninjutsu all night.

He should do something to make it not as boring for the guard.

Kane smirked as he suddenly jumped, quickly making his way outside Fugaku's home area and heading towards the exit of the Uchiha compound. The three guards watching over him were quick to pursue.

He may have to obey everyone else...

But he would _not_ obey Mikoto Uchiha.

* * *

He'd quickly grown sick and tired of the looks he was getting from the civilians along the streets of Konoha.

Kane knew they wouldn't stop. He'd gotten looks his entire childhood, and he'd been a common sight back then. Even living here for twelve years didn't change the fact that everywhere he went, people eyed him with disdain and hatred.

The looks were different now. They weren't all hate and aggression; they came in a variety of flavors and color now.

It didn't matter. Kane hated them all the same. He wished they'd just outright _stop_ looking at him, but he knew that would never happen.

The thought had made him so angry. So, _so angry..._ Kane knew his anger was irrational. He'd been dealing with the looks for three days now, and not once had they ever bothered him; other than the looks of interest. Now, for some reason, they'd pissed him off. He'd wanted to do something to make them stop.

He'd wanted to do _anything_ to make them stop.

Kane had known in that moment he needed to get away before he did something rash.

So, here he was, waiting on the bridge for Team 7's meeting spot. He was sitting on the railing, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands balled together. His head rested on top of his fists and he glared down at the ground as he was lost in thought. He knew he'd need to be here at the bridge soon anyway, so there was no point in going anywhere else.

He'd spurned Mikoto's demands, so he'd considered doing the same and not showing up for this pointless meeting. He'd decided against it when he remembered his anger towards the villagers. He was a loose cannon right now, and the last thing he wanted was to give the Fourth Hokage any reason to check on him.

He wasn't sure he'd be able to stop himself from attacking the man.

A shadow fell over his body, but Kane remained still.

"Yo."

Kane slowly lifted his head and glared up at Kakashi, the man's hands in his pockets as he looked down at him blankly.

"You're here early."

Couldn't he leave him alone? He didn't feel like dealing with the man right now.

Kane placed his head back on top of his hands as he went back to glaring at the ground. For nearly three minutes, Kakashi continued standing there as Kane glared at the ground, his irritation growing with every passing second.

"What do you want, Kakashi?" He grit out, still looking downwards.

"Are you alright?"

Kane tensed as he lifted his head again to look Kakashi in the eye. The man's face was serious, but his tone held no hostility.

"Fine."

Kakashi stared at him for a moment longer before shaking his head and stepping away. The man pulled out his orange book as he began reading.

Kane glared at him for a moment before going back to brooding.

For a while, the two kept to themselves, neither speaking. Then, Kakashi glanced up and held up one hand in a two-fingered peace sign.

"Yo."

Kane glanced up at the man's voice, then narrowed his eyes as he found Sasuke approaching, his face displaying anger and glaring at Kane.

"Dead Last." He barked immediately upon coming to a stop, and Kane glared right back.

"What do you want?"

"You didn't show up for breakfast, _again,_ and you left without me."

Kane's eyes darted to the side as he noticed a Shinobi take off, realizing his Uchiha guard had finally departed.

"Yeah, So?"

Sasuke sneered down at him, not saying a word, and Kane felt anger rush through him. He definitely didn't appreciate that he was being looked down upon, both figuratively and literally.

He jumped off the railing, standing as tall as he could as he sneered right back.

 _"Yeah, so?"_ He repeated threateningly.

As the two glared at each other, Kakashi kept quiet, watching the exchange carefully.

"Tonight, you'll arrive and be on time for dinner, and tomorrow you'll be present for breakfast." Sasuke said.

Then, he shoved his shoulder into Kane's as he walked passed him, knocking Kane out of his way.

Kane felt outrage consume him as he whirled around, glaring at Sasuke's back.

Sasuke ordered him! Sasuke dismissed him! Sasuke bodied him!

It was _exactly_ what Sasuke would do to Kane when he pissed him off, back when they were Genin.

Did he think Kane would just stand there and _take that?!_

What was he supposed to do, though?

Images of Sasuke's fist implanted into his face flashed in Kane's eyes.

He still hadn't paid Sasuke back for breaking his nose.

Two steps.

That was how far Sasuke had walked before Kane reacted.

Kane reached out, his skin turning red almost immediately, and grabbed Sasuke's shoulder tightly. He whirled the boy around, Sasuke's eyes going wide in shock.

He released the boy's shoulder and wrapped his hand around Sasuke's throat.

 _He was going to pay for that!_

Kane took his leg and swept it behind Sasuke's, interlocking their ankles and bringing his foot towards himself. He pushed forward against Sasuke's chest with his free hand, causing him to begin falling to the ground.

Kane's enraged eyes never left Sasuke's as the boy flailed while the two of them fell, Kane atop of Sasuke. His eyes never left Sasuke's, as a tendril of water flew up from beneath the bridge and struck out at Kakashi, who was already halfway to the two of them. His eyes never left Sasuke's as Kakashi was knocked away, and Kane encroached both of Sasuke's wrists with one hand.

It all happened so fast.

Kane leaned back with his free arm raised, fist clenched as he kept a tight grip on Sasuke's wrists, and then he brought his fist down onto Sasuke's face.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Kane felt a sick thrill as he heard a satisfying crunch with the third hit, knowing he'd broken Sasuke's nose.

He wasn't satisfied.

Kane leaned back and brought his fist back up.

He was going to knock the bastard out this time.

A hand wrapped around Kane's wrist, stopping him mid air as another hand was placed on his chest. Kane suddenly found himself flung off of Sasuke, and the hand on his chest began applying even more force as his eyes took in the sight of the clouds in the sky.

His back _slammed_ into the ground, his head banging it immediately after and sending a loud ringing through his mind. His vision blurred for a moment before returning to him, and Kane was certain he'd lost consciousness for an instant there.

Before he could move, he felt the sharp coldness of steel being placed against his throat, and Kane froze as he realized a sword was being held there. He glared up as everything came rushing back to him.

Kakashi slammed him onto the bridge, and one of the two Anbu still watching him was now holding him at sword-point.

For a while, nobody moved a muscle.

 _"What the hell?!"_

As Naruko's voice cut through the area, Kane sneered.

He was in deep shit now.

Kane heard Sasuke let out a quiet grunt filled with pain, and Kane felt satisfaction flow through him.

 _It was worth it._

* * *

End of Chapter 103

 _ **A/N:**_

Yesterday was supposed to be a double-update, but it didn't happen. To make up for it, Chapter 104 will be released in exactly 1 hour, 1:00


	108. Chapter 104

_**A/N:**_

Double upload today. Make sure you're reading the right chapter!

* * *

Kane gasped as his back was thrust into the railing, then he glared hatefully at Kakashi for doing so.

Kakashi was glaring right back, his eye serious. Kakashi glanced backwards towards the Anbu and nodded.

"I've got things under control. No need to report this little incident to Hokage-sama, I'll do so myself later today, since our meeting will be finished before your duty ends."

The Anbu nodded and without saying a word shunshined away, returning to his post and going back to observing.

Kane glanced to the side, watching as Naruko helped Sasuke stand. His hand was covering his nose and his face was bloodied, and Kane let out a small smirk at the sight.

He felt himself get pulled forward, his back no longer touching the railing, and then he was shoved right back against the railing, causing him to gasp in surprise as pain shot through his body.

"You think this is _funny,_ Kane?" Kakashi asked coldly, and Kane glared at the white haired man in response.

"You _attacked_ Sasuke, Kane! Your comrade! Your teammate! Your _friend!_ "

Kane sneered at the man's words, but said nothing.

"A Shinobi who turns on his friends is worse than trash." Kakashi continued, his voice filled with harsh cruelty and severe disappointment.

"I have no friends." Kane snapped, and Kakashi's eye widened for a moment.

He released Kane, causing him to drop to the ground and land on his bottom. Kane continued to glare up at Kakashi as the man looked down at him, his eye filled with disappointment as he shook his head.

Without a word, Kakashi turned and approached Naruko and Sasuke.

"Can you walk?"

Sasuke scoffed as he rolled his eyes, "I've had worse."

Sasuke's eyes shifted to meet Kane's, and the two stared as Kane glared and Sasuke kept a blank look on his face, his hand still covering his nose.

"Go see a medic ninja, Sasuke. You need to get your nose fixed up."

Sasuke broke eye contact with Kane as he nodded at Kakashi, walking away and shoving his free hand into his pocket. His pace was leisurely, as if he were going for a stroll and had not a care in the world.

The sight made Kane grit his teeth in anger.

 _He should've hit him harder._

"And as for you." Kakashi said as he face Kane, Naruko standing slightly behind the man and looking at Kane with a blank face.

"What? Are you going to lecture me again, _sensei?"_ Kane asked mockingly as he stood up.

"No. There'd be no point." Kakashi said coldly.

Naruko approached him, her eyes looking him up and down blankly, but Kane kept staring at Kakashi. He smirked at Kakashi's words.

It looks like he was finally getting through to the man.

"Don't think this means you're getting out of today's meeting." Kakashi said as he motioned for the two of them to follow him, heading towards the training grounds.

His smile fell away.

He tilted his head to glare at Naruko, the girl still staring at him with that same look on her face.

Without a word, she turned around and went after Kakashi, and Kane begrudgingly followed.

* * *

"So what are we doing today, Kakashi?" Naruko asked calmly as Kane came to a stop by her side.

"Well, I spoke with Hokage-sama, and I have good news and bad news." Kakashi said.

"What's the good news?" Naruko asked calmly, and Kane eyed the blonde.

She was acting strange. She wasn't being loud, she wasn't getting excited... But she didn't seem upset at what he'd done to Sasuke; at least, she hadn't said anything about it. She was acting so...

Normal.

That was strange for the girl. Naruko Namikaze _never_ acted 'normal', she was always loud and passionate with everything she did.

"The good news is, things have changed. Hokage-sama has decided to allow Team 7 to resume taking on missions."

Kane's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

If they did a mission outside of the village, Kane knew he would escape. Whatever that seal was on his back, he'd remove it by whatever means necessary the second they gained some distance from the village, and then he'd be gone.

"What's the bad news?" Naruko asked, still calm, and Kane found that he was surprised the girl didn't show more of a reaction to being allowed to go on missions again.

"The bad news..." Kakashi eye-smiled, seeming to be quite pleased with the apparent 'bad' news, "Is that Team 7 will only be allowed to complete D-Ranked missions until further notice."

Kane closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh, garnering the unwanted attention of the other two.

This was all so pointless.

"Kane-kun." Kakashi's voice was serious again, and Kane opened his eyes to stare at Kakashi.

"I've failed you as a sensei, Kane-kun."

Kane's surprise showed on his face, and Naruko did no better at hiding her shock.

"You were never my sensei." Kane snapped, growing angry within a moment's notice.

Kakashi nodded, "You're right."

Kane did a double-take, not expecting the man to agree with him.

"I failed to teach you."

Kane scoffed as he quickly schooled his features, "Obviously. You only taught me how to walk on trees."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow curiously, "I thought I also taught you the water-walking exercise, but I digress. That is not what I was referring to."

Kane stared at the man, not really understanding what he was trying to say.

"The only thing I needed to teach the three of you was the value of _teamwork._ I failed miserably in that regard when it comes to you, Kane-kun."

Kane closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Not this shit again...

"Your views on teamwork and bonds is a testament to my failures as a sensei. I failed you, and for that I am sorry. I can't change the past, so all I can do is move forward."

Kakashi clapped his hands, his eye closing completely in a smile, "So, we're going to get back to the basics! We'll just have to try again!"

Kane glared at the man as Naruko nodded.

"So we're going to do D-Ranked missions to learn teamwork." The girl summarized, and Kakashi nodded.

"Right you are, Naru-chan. The entire point of D-Ranked missions is to teach teamwork, so that's what we'll do!"

"This is stupid." Kane said blandly as Kakashi laughed.

"One more thing! When we're on our D-Ranked missions, you aren't allowed to use any jutsu. The three of you are very skilled; it wouldn't take long to complete D-Ranks if we didn't put restrictions on you, and completing the mission isn't the point of them to begin with."

Naruko grimaced, "No clones?"

"No clones."

She sighed, "Alright."

"I'll inform Sasuke of everything, and when we next meet the day after tomorrow he can join in on the fun!" Kakashi said cheerily.

"Yeah... Fun..." Naruko said with an annoyed look on her face, and Kane shared her sentiments.

"We've got a long day ahead of us; let's get going!" Kakashi said as he lead the way.

* * *

This was stupid.

"Kane, you have to participate."

This was so very stupid.

"I'm not going to dig up weeds for some old lady." Kane said flatly.

"What's so bad about that? You're doing an old woman a service. You should be proud to assist! Try acting more like Naru-chan!" Kakashi said with cheer as Kane glanced at the blonde, the girl struggling to pull up some weeds at the other end of the yard.

"I'm not doing it."

Kakashi sighed, "You have to, Kane-kun."

"And if I don't?"

Kakashi shrugged, "I suppose Hokage-sama will deal out consequences."

Kane scoffed, "I'm not afraid of him."

The white haired Jounin hummed at that, "Perhaps not, but it would be such a shame if Hokage-sama restricted you to remaining within the Uchiha compound whenever you're not with us, don't you think?"

Kane glared at the man's back as he departed, joining Naruko and engaging himself in weed-pulling.

* * *

Naruko stared at Kane as Kakashi tsked.

"You didn't help Kane-kun, that's such a shame. I suppose that means you've got your first strike."

Kane raised an eyebrow, "My first strike?"

Kakashi smiled happily, "Did you think I was spouting hot air earlier? This is strike one, Kane-kun, and three strikes you're out. Each time you get three strikes, Hokage-sama will restrict one area of the village from you."

Kane glared, "And if I couldn't care less?"

Kakashi continued to smile, "Well, I'm not supposed to tell you this, Kane-kun, but Hokage-sama may have mentioned the first place he'd like to restrict being a small little building filled with books."

Kane's eyes widened.

He'd wanted to go back to the library since his first visit, but hadn't had the time yet. As much as he hated this village; as much as he hated the librarian, the library was the one thing about Konoha that Kane truly loved.

"And..." Kakashi continued on, ignoring Kane's ire, "If we complete enough D-Ranked missions with no trouble... Hokage-sama might have mentioned giving you access to the library at night time."

Kane sucked in a breath of air at that.

He'd never admit it, least of all to the Hokage, but...

He'd like that.

He'd like that very much.

"Well! We still have time for another D-Rank or two today, so let's get a move on!" Kakashi cheered.

Kane glared at the man as he lead the charge, but then blinked as he felt eyes on him.

His eyes locked with Naruko's, the girl staring at him strangely again.

He ignored her as he followed after Kakashi.

* * *

"Okay, team! Our mission is to water this yard with these!" Kakashi said as he held up three small watering cans, and Kane gave a look of disbelief to the man.

He couldn't be serious.

Right?

"Where will we refill them, Kakashi?" Naruko asked, not complaining in the slightest about the mission.

What was wrong with her?!

"Over there." Kakashi said as he pointed to a water well.

Naruko accepted one of the watering cans with a nod, and Kakashi held out the other to him.

The two stared at each other as Naruko watched on.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "Well?"

Kane sneered, "If I have to do this, I'm not using that."

Kakashi looked almost smug as he asked, "Then how will you water the grass, Kane-kun?"

Kane glared, and Naruko and Kakashi both turned to the water well as the water flew into the air and launched itself across the yard, soaking the grass.

"There. Are we done here?"

Kakashi nodded, "Yes, I suppose we are."

"Good. Then-"

"Unfortunately," Kakashi cut him off, "We are required to complete a minimum of two D-Ranked missions every mission day. Hokage-sama's orders."

Kane raised an eyebrow, "We have. This is mission two."

Kakashi tutted in response, "Ah ah ah, Kane-kun. You are more than welcome to use jutsu to complete a mission - you won't get a strike for doing so, but anytime you do, it does not count towards our mission count. We don't want to necessarily discourage you from doing so; after all, you'll complete plenty of missions that way, which is good for the village! But, it's also not why we're here. So, the choice is yours." Kakashi said cheekily.

"What?" Kane asked in astonishment.

Kakashi eye-smiled, "Don't worry, I made it a point to pick out several missions for today. Even with jutsu, we have more than enough to last us the entire day!"

Kane stared in disbelief as Kakashi walked away, waving to the old man on the porch who was watching the entire thing. The man waved back, pleased his yard was watered.

 _'This really is Hell.'_

Naruko was staring at him again, and he snarled before following after Kakashi, _again._

* * *

He couldn't believe what his life had become.

Here he was, back in Konoha, _walking a dog._

Kane glared at the mutt as it continued sniffing a bush, as if the animal was responsible for his dilemma.

He knew he could fight this; part of him was screaming inside to do so...

But it just wasn't worth it.

He continued walking along, the dog trotting happily as Kane sighed.

* * *

"Well done Team Seven! We successfully completed our D-Ranked missions for the day!" Kakashi said cheerily.

Neither Naruko nor Kane commented.

"Tomorrow you have the day off, but the day after we'll be meeting at the bridge again!"

"I'm leaving." Kane said flatly as he turned around. He'd done the stupid missions. They couldn't keep him here any longer.

"Kane."

Kane stopped at Naruko's voice. The girl had been unusually quiet all day, and she kept staring at him too. He turned around to face her, raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

She was doing it again. That same strange look on her face.

"You haven't been getting much sleep lately, have you?"

Kane tensed up immediately.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He snapped defensively.

Naruko shook her head, "I can't believe I didn't see it until this morning... You haven't slept _at all,_ have you, Kane?"

"Mind your own business." Kane sneered.

Naruko's strange look transformed into a look of almost horror, "I can see it happening. You're acting more and more erratic. You aren't getting any sleep, and you're starting to act more and more like the Kane I saw out in that field! The Kane that hurt his friends!"

"I don't _have any friends_ , how many times do I have to tell you people?!" Kane seethed.

"You need help, Kane!"

"What?" He asked stupidly, the blondes words taking him by surprise.

Kakashi looked thoughtful as his eye narrowed, "Is this true, Kane-kun? Are you having difficulties sleeping?"

"Kane, you need help! Let me help you! Let _us_ help you!" Naruko pleaded.

"I don't need anyone's help! I'm perfectly fine." Kane said heatedly.

"You're losing it, Kane! I've been watching it happen! You're growing more and more out of control; you attacked Sasuke this morning!"

"He deserved it!" Kane raged, and Naruko shook her head.

"Let us help you, Kane. _Please_."

"I don't _need_ your help! I don't need anyone's help!"

Naruko looked saddened by his words, "Everyone needs help sometimes, Kane." She whispered.

" _Not_ me." Kane said coldly.

"You've been having this problem for a while now, haven't you? You'd already been having trouble sleeping before Sasuke and I met you in that field! What's wrong, Kane? Is it nightmares?" She asked desperately.

"Why don't you mind your own business?!"

"Because you need my help!"

 _"No I don't!"_ Kane roared, and even Kakashi flinched at the uncharacteristic scream.

"I don't need your help! I don't need _anyone's_ help! I never have, and I never will! I've always done things on my own, and I've always been fine because of it!"

"Kane, whatever your problem is, we can figure it out together! We can find a solution together!"

"No." Kane seethed, "I'll figure it out by myself. I'll find a solution _by myself._ "

There was no point denying his issue anymore; so long as they left him alone, he didn't care if they knew.

"I've always done things on my own; it's what works for me. Other people just get in the way." Kane said as he tried to calm down.

Naruko looked so sad, and Kakashi looked concerned.

"You're at your strongest when supported by the bonds you have with your precious people, Kane." Naruko whispered again, and Kane glared at the girl angrily.

"I'll figure this out by myself, and I'll fix the problem. The only person I can rely on is myself, and that's a simple fact of life."

Kane turned around and stomped off, Naruko's sad eyes watching him the entire time.

* * *

"Trouble sleeping, huh?" Minato asked as he leaned back, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Yeah, and he won't accept my help." Naruko said with a frown on her face.

"He won't accept your help? That's not surprising, I suppose." Minato said as he scratched his head.

Kakashi stood off to the side, observing the conversation.

"It guess that explains why he attacked Sasuke this morning." Minato sighed. Kakashi told him the story before allowing Naruko to dive into Kane's problems. No matter what Kane was going through, it didn't excuse his actions.

"I don't care what he says." Naruko said fiercely, and Minato raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

"Naru-chan?" He asked.

"I don't care if Kane won't accept my help! I'm going to give it to him regardless! I'm going to figure out how to help him sleep, and nothing he says will stop me!"

Minato stared at his daughter with a fond smile. She truly did inherit her mother's strong will.

"Of course. And I will help _you_ anyway I can, Naru-chan."

"As will I." Kakashi agreed.

Naruko opened her mouth to respond, but the office doors swung open, startling her. She turned and found Sasuke smirking at her, his nose completely healed.

"You're not doing this without me, idiot."

Naruko gave a huge grin as she glanced at her precious people with determination.

"Let's do it, _ttebayo_!"

* * *

He wondered if they'd started dinner yet. It should be getting close to that time.

Not that he cared.

Kane continued to stroll leisurely through the Uchiha compound, glaring and sneering at each and every individual that looked his way. Several of the stronger Uchiha Shinobi looked outraged that he would dare do such a thing, but none approached him.

Kane decided he would continue walking around the Uchiha compound, not a care in the world, in an attempt to intentionally miss dinner.

Again.

It's not like he was hungry. After all, he'd already had dinner.

Kane smirked as he bit into a piece of bread.

He'd walked right up to a small stand in the Konoha marketplace known for selling bread, looked the young civilian girl probably no older than he was straight in the eye, and swiped the bread right in front of her. He hadn't paid, and he hadn't tried to be subtle about it.

It was the same stand he'd stolen bread from back when he was homeless. He was surprised he remembered that.

The fact that the stand had a different name, which meant it was probably owned by someone new, and that the person running the stand was most definitely _not_ the middle aged man from his memories meant nothing to Kane.

It still felt good.

His thoughts trailed back to Naruko. Her words made him _so mad._ Who did she think she was?! He didn't need her help! He was just fine on his own!

He would find the answer to his problems on his own. He would figure out a way to get some much needed sleep on his own. He would overcome this obstacle in his path O _n. His. Own._

Kane _didn't_ need help.

And he was going to prove it.

He wasn't going to allow this to continue any longer. He was fixing this problem.

He was ending this.

 _Tonight._

* * *

End of Chapter 104


	109. Chapter 105

He'd been so determined.

So confident in his ability, spurred on by his desire to prove Naruko wrong; prove _everyone_ wrong.

And yet, here he stood, staring out into the endless distance on top of the Red Sea.

He'd been so sure of himself, so insistent on solving this riddle once and for all tonight. Not tomorrow, not next week, _tonight._

But in the end it was all nothing but bluster, wasn't it?

He had no leads; no answers. No clues as to how he was supposed to fix this problem. Kane knew that, despite his determination, he had made no progress. Hell, he'd gone _backwards;_ at least when he was searching for the purest blood he had a possible solution in mind.

Now, he was back to square one.

Why had he been so confident he could solve this tonight?

Perhaps his mind was just tired.

The thought made Kane grit his teeth angrily; that was the entire problem!

He glared down, sensing as deep down into the red waters as he could possibly feel.

Bottomless.

He felt left. He felt right. Forward, Backwards, diagonal... Every direction possible.

Endless.

There was no end, and no dilution to speak of. What the _hell_ was he supposed to do?!

Maybe he really _did_ need help.

The thought made him violently angry.

There _had_ to be an end! A waterfall of blood in the distance, so far he couldn't feel it, diluting the Red Sea with every passing moment!

He _had_ to find it.

Kane took off in a sprint, running towards the first direction he happened to find himself facing.

He ran, and ran, and ran.

 _'There has to be something! There has to be!'_

No matter how far he ran, the sight remained the same; An endless horizon of red glowing water slinking off under a pitch black sky.

 _'Maybe I just can't see it?!'_

While sprinting, Kane jumped high into the air, glancing left and right before quickly falling back towards the sea. He landed, smoothly maneuvering back into a sprint, before trying again. He jumped and jumped and jumped, repeating the process over and over again.

With each jump, Kane felt his panic grow. No matter how long he ran or how high he jumped, the sight remained the same.

He began jumping higher and higher with each leap, until finally he began manipulating the water below his feet to boost him even further into the air.

He needed to find the source of his problems! It had to be here, inside the Blood Well! It was the only thing that made sense!

Kane jumped higher.

Higher.

 _Higher._

Then, he felt it.

A tugging on the top of his head. A _harsh_ tugging; like someone grabbed the hair on top of his head and _yanked_ as hard as they could.

And his body followed the pull.

Kane gasped as he suddenly found himself pulled straight up, and then darkness consumed his vision.

He began spinning around; twisting and twirling through the air as he found his entire body being pulled like a ragdoll. He felt like he was suddenly freefalling. He felt like a person being dragged down into the undertow, only he wasn't struggling to breathe. Every few moments a flash of red would fill his vision as he continued tumbling.

Then, there was a flash of white, too.

Kane began flailing his arms in an attempt to control his body, and slowly he gained control over himself. His entire body was being dragged into an unknown direction, and Kane stared with wide eyes as a thin line of white was the only thing he could.

It grew larger and larger the further along he was pulled. Slowly, it became tangible in Kane's eyes and he reached out as it grew closer to him, flying right above his head.

Reached out, and _grabbed_ it.

He gasped as his body attempted to fly straight passed it, refusing to let go despite the pull his body felt.

Kane dragged himself to the white line he was gripping, placing it between his body and the powerful force still attempting to drag him away. The white substance was strange; it felt like a rope, and was shaped like one too, however there was no design to speak of. It was simply a cylinder of pure white substance.

He glanced around, wondering where the strange thing came from and what it was attached to, and Kane's eyes widened in surprise as he found that it wasn't attached to _anything._

It went on and on forever in both directions, left and right, disappearing into the black void that now surrounded him. A sort of net, being Kane's only lifeline between himself and the endless void attempting to pull him in like gravity.

 _Where the hell was he?_

Kane glanced behind himself by looking over his shoulder, taking care not to lose his grip on the 'rope' that seemed endless, and his eyes narrowed as they took in the sight of a thin line of red cutting across the middle of a sea of black.

 _Wait._

That thin red line...

He could _feel_ it.

 _'Holy shit, that's the Red Sea! Where am I?! What did I-'_

His eyes widened as he realized what happened

 _'This is the abyss! The black abyss above the Red Sea! The place the waterfalls of blood come from; the place I send the waterfalls back up into in order to purify my blood! I must've jumped too high and got sucked into it!'_

He glanced back down at the strange rope in his hand, raising an eyebrow curiously.

What the hell was this thing, then? And why was it in the middle of the abyss?

The better question was why was _he_ in the middle of the abyss?

He needed to get back.

But how?

Kane glanced back towards the red line in the distance behind him.

If he could feel the water, then maybe...

Kane willed a tendril of water from the Red Sea up and towards him, his eyes widening as the moment the water touched the abyss it was forcibly sucked into it and began 'falling' straight towards him.

 _'That's not good! Stop! Stop!'_

Kane struggled as he willed the water into the opposite direction, and he sighed with relief as it came to a stop right behind him.

 _'Thank Kami... I can move the tendril faster than the abyss seems to want to pull it.'_

Kane reached out with one arm, allowing the tendril of water to surround it, and hesitated. He glanced back at the strange white rope with trepidation.

He was _not_ about to let go of the rope, for fear of losing control and falling straight back into the abyss.

So, instead, with one arm being tugged by the tendril of red water and the other firmly gripping the white rope, he began willing the tendril to fight against the current the abyss radiated and slowly dragged himself back towards the red glow of the Red Sea, the white rope gently moving through the void alongside him.

The thing red line grew larger and larger as he grew closer, until eventually it nearly consumed his vision and he was forced to squint his eyes.

Then, he dragged himself out of the black abyss, never letting go of the rope as he suddenly found himself being pulled in the opposite direction.

Kane willed the tendril of water to catch him, letting out another sigh of relief before releasing the rope, letting go of the tendril, and landing back on top of the Red Sea.

Kane gasped as he realized what he'd done.

The white rope stretched across the sky, resting just below the point where the black abyss began. The white substance stretched on forever, no end and no beginning in sight.

He stared up with genuine curiosity.

 _'So... What the hell is that thing?'_

Kane recoiled before stumbling back several feet, his hand flying up to grip his forehead tightly.

 _Was that-_

He recoiled again as another shockwave of deliriousness rushed through him.

Kane stood there, his mouth agape more several moments before he tilted his head back and _laughed._

For the first time in what felt like forever, the Blood Well was trying to _dismiss him._

Not release. Not allow him to regain consciousness.

No.

 _Dismiss._

His job was _done._

Kane glanced up at the white substance that reminded him of a rope one last time before laughing.

He didn't know what the hell that thing was, or what the hell he'd done, but...

 _It worked._

* * *

She gave the man a dazzling smile as he opened the door.

"Hi, Itachi!"

He smiled back before nodding, "Naruko. Sasuke. How may I assist you?"

"Where's Kane? We need to talk to him! We think we have a way to solve his problem!" Naruko spoke rapidly, bouncing slightly in place from excitement.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "His problem?"

"Yeah!" She replied eagerly.

"He's been having trouble sleeping." Sasuke answered his brother's question.

"I see." Itachi replied stoically.

"So where is he?!" Naruko repeated her question.

"I am afraid he is unavailable right now." Itachi answered.

"What?! Why?!" She gasped as her mouth fell open in shock.

"I am afraid he is currently resting."

"He's _what?!"_

* * *

His eyes opened slowly, the world coming into focus as his senses returned to him.

What time was it?

Kane blinked drowsily as he realized there was light shining in the room, but it was dim and fading.

 _'Morning? So I only slept a couple of hours?'_

Kane blinked again before stretching, several snaps resounding through the room as his joints popped.

He sure did feel better.

Kane sat up, staring at the rays of light reflected off the floor when he suddenly froze.

It wasn't sunrise.

It was sunset.

 _'I slept all day?'_

The implications behind the realization were not lost to him.

 _'I slept all day!'_

What happened? What had he done? How did he do it?

He accidentally fell into the black abyss that was the sky, grabbed onto a strange white rope that stretched on for eternity and was just randomly sitting in the abyss, and then he dragged both himself and white rope back to the Blood Well. Now, the rope sat in the Blood Well, doing nothing.

And the Blood Well was satisfied.

 _'I don't understand half the shit my own Kekkei Genkai does...'_

He felt _amazing!_

He'd _slept! He'd slept all day!_

Kane knew it must've been getting close to sunrise by the time he was dismissed; he'd been wandering the Blood Well for hours before going through the craziness of getting sucked into the abyss.

 _'Note to self; stay away from the abyss from now on. It may have worked out this time, but... Just stay away.'_

He'd gotten plenty of sleep, and Kane felt refreshed and ready to go. He wondered if that meant he would be able to go to sleep from now on.

Kane wondered if, perhaps, his problem truly was _solved._

Kami he hoped it was true.

The door to the room he was in slowly creaked open, and the sound was like thunder to Kane's ears.

Everything seemed so sensitive now. Everything felt crisp; smooth. Enhanced.

Better.

He felt _alive._

Kane stared as his practically shining eyes met the dark ones of Itachi.

"You're awake." Itachi stated the obvious.

Kane hummed in response, finding himself to be in an extremely good mood.

"I noticed you finally managed to get some sleep this morning. That's good. I informed Mother and the others to not disturb you for the day. I believed the sleep would do you well."

"It did." Kane spoke lowly, pleasure tinting his voice but not coming off as grateful in the slightest.

Itachi nodded, "Will you be joining us for dinner? I was sent to retrieve you if you were awake. It will be ready shortly."

Kane hummed again.

Why not?

He really was in a good mood, after all.

"Sure."

If Itachi was surprised by his agreeing to join them, he didn't let it show. The man truly was a master at hiding his emotions.

He nodded, "Come join us as soon as you're ready, then."

Then he was gone.

Kane glanced around the room slowly, a small smile on his face as he hummed quietly to himself.

Life was good.

* * *

He walked into the room, finding Itachi and Fugaku both seated and Mikoto's back to him as she prepared cups of tea. The two Uchiha men glanced at him, Fugaku giving a curt nod as Itachi simply stared.

Mikoto turned around and jumped slightly in surprise as she took notice of him, "Oh! Kane-kun! You're awake! Did you sleep well?"

Kane let a slow smirk grow across his visage as he nodded, "Yeah."

The Uchiha matriarch gave him a charming smile as she nodded, "That's good! Please have a seat. Dinner is ready!"

Kane did exactly that, eyeing the empty spot beside him.

"Where's Sasuke?" He drawled, disappointed but not letting it show.

He wanted to see how the bastard's nose looked.

Mikoto looked annoyed, but quickly hid it behind a forced smile, "He won't be joining us tonight. He's off doing something or another with Naruko-chan."

Kane raised an eyebrow at that.

The blonde had seemed adamant about finding a solution to his sleep deprivation. He wondered if she'd roped Sasuke into joining her.

 _Roped..._

The image of the white rope stretching across the sky came to him, and Kane let out a satisfied smirk.

They were wasting their time.

He'd already solved it.

Mikoto sat down to join them after serving everyone, and Kane's eye twitched slightly at the sight of the bowl in front of him.

Was this...

Home-made Ramen?

 _'Son of a...'_

He shook his head. He'd never get away from the stuff; might as well get used to it...

The four ate in complete silence, and Kane couldn't help but wonder if all the meals the Uchiha family shared were like this.

Probably.

"Don't forget, Kane-kun," Itachi's voice cut through the silence, "you may have slept the day away today, but you are to meet with your team tomorrow."

Kane hummed thoughtfully, neither in agreement or disagreement.

He wondered about that.

No, he wondered about what he was going to do _tonight._ He _had_ just slept for an entire day... He probably wouldn't be tired tonight.

Or maybe he would. Maybe he needed to play catchup.

He felt pretty damn good at the moment, though.

Regardless of what he decided...

He couldn't wait to rub it in Naruko's face.

* * *

He couldn't help but smirk as he noticed there were only two guards watching him.

Clearly, the third had gone to tattle to the Hokage. It was probably the Anbu, and they probably told the Uchiha guard that were going to go inform the Hokage about what Kane had done, and to keep a close eye on him while they were gone.

But what about the third?

Kane frowned. He still had no clue why there was always a third person watching him. One person from the Uchiha clan, one Anbu from the Hokage...

And a third bystander, that did nothing but watch.

They hadn't even tried to help when he'd attacked Sasuke!

It clearly wasn't the Hokage's Anbu. Or the Uchiha's.

So who was it?

Kane shrugged as he realized he'd come to the same conclusion _this_ time that he'd come to _last_ time...

He didn't care.

Kane smiled as he found what he was looking for, his fingertips gently grazing the spine of a book before pulling it out and towards him.

The more he learned about Wind Ninjutsu, the better.

Which is why he'd come to the library.

At night.

When he wasn't allowed.

Kane didn't care. The world seemed so... Small, now. Everything seemed so trivial. Where once to possibility of altercation or confrontment had seemed like such a huge ordeal, such a huge risk, now it seemed almost... Easy. Unconcerning.

If he pissed off the Fourth... So what? What was he going to do? Fight him?

He hoped so.

Kane continued reading the book, paying no concern to the constant audience he had.

"Kane-kun."

Kane froze as the voice came from directly behind him.

 _How did he get there without him noticing?!_

Kane slowly turned around, keeping the surprise off his face as he found himself staring up at the Hokage from his seat in the library.

"Yeah?"

Minato frowned at his casual response, "You're supposed to be at the Uchiha compound, Kane-kun."

Kane shrugged before turning back to the novel in front of him, "Felt like coming here."

"You're not allowed to wander the village at night, Kane-kun."

He scoffed at that, "And who's going to stop me?"

Minato let out a sigh before pulling out a chair and taking a seat beside him. Kane ignored him.

"Kane-kun, I was going to grant you permission to do this anyway, but you have to follow the rules, you-"

"No I don't."

Minato blinked, "Kane-kun?"

Kane turned to him, one eyebrow raised challengingly, "I said, no I don't. Who's going to make me? Nobody, that's who."

Minato frowned again, "There are several Shinobi who-"

"Are there?"

The two stared at each other for a few moments, Minato's eyes narrowing thoughtfully, "Yes, you-"

"Name them."

"Name them?"

Kane smirked, pleased at consistently catching the man off guard, "Yeah, name them. Who in this entire village do you seriously think can force me to do anything at all? You? Itachi Uchiha?"

The two stared at each other, and Kane's smirk grew, "Yeah, I'm at a loss here. Can you name another? I sure can't."

"It's not about that, you-"

"Really, I'm not so confident _you_ can beat me, either. Really, what do I have to lose by ignoring your orders and doing whatever the hell I want?"

Minato frowned, "Must you be so difficult?"

Kane shrugged, "Let me go, and I promise I'll be out of your hair. _Forever_ , this time."

Minato shook his head, "You know I can't do that."

"Then I guess I'll just have to stay in the village. Until I can escape, of course. Then I'm gone."

"Why are you so insistent on leaving, Kane-kun?" Minato asked curiously, "What do you stand to gain by leaving?"

"Why are you so insistent on keeping me here?" He fired back.

Minato sighed and Kane turned back to his book, intent on ignoring the man.

Neither said a word for several minutes, until Minato began drumming his fingers on the tabletop.

"I am glad to see you are in better condition now than you have been recently." Minato said with a smile, and Kane turned to look at the man questioningly.

"It's a wonder what a good nights sleep can do for a person, isn't it, Kane-kun?"

Before Kane could respond, Minato was gone.

* * *

He hadn't been sure he was going to go.

Who was going to make him?

Kane felt like he could take on the entire world now.

Still, he couldn't resist rubbing it in Naruko's face.

He'd go to this team meeting, brag to the blonde, and then he'd leave.

Let the Hokage try to 'punish' him. He had no way of enforcing it. Now that he'd gotten plenty of rest, Kane knew that so long as he didn't give the village cause to call for his head, they wouldn't try to stir up too much trouble related to him. He was strong, and everybody knew it.

Besides...

He had other things he wanted to do today.

Other people he wanted to see.

 _'I wonder what Iruka has been up to.'_

Kane whistled a happy tune as he continued on his way to the bridge.

* * *

End of Chapter 105


End file.
